


Bad Boys

by Elenduen



Category: The Musketeers (2014), d'Artagnan Romances (Three Musketeers Series) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, Angst, Corruption, Forbidden Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Priest Aramis, Screws and Inmates, Suicide Attempt, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-07-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 16:09:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 49,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5672080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prison Fic AU</p><p>Anyone remember the TV show Bad Girls?, well this is based off that.</p><p>d'Artagnan and Porthos are convicts serving time for crimes they didn't commit, sharing a cell the two of them become friends and d'Artagnan helps hide the affair Porthos is having with the Prison Chaplin Aramis.</p><p>Athos is a senior Prison officer drinking himself into an early grave after his wife murdered his Brother and escaped while she was on remand.<br/>While generally keeping a professional distance between himself and the inmates he finds himself drawn to d'Artagnan who is also having feelings for him.</p><p>Private detective Treville whom Athos has hired to find his wife under covers a much larger plot involving the corupt Prison Govenor Rochefort, an organised crime gang and a dirty cop by the name of Milady de Winter, which connects to the crimes Porthos and d'Artagnan were convicted of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

D'Artagnan flinched as the metal door clanged shut behind him locking him into Bastille Prison.

Huddling his shoulders and keeping his head down he shuffled forward behind six others who were being brought into this prison, that word Prison, he still couldn't believe it, that he was actually in Prison!, since leaving the court he had been numb with disbelief that he had been convicted of Manslaughter and sentenced to Fifteen years!.

He couldn't even cry he was so shocked by this, he had been certain that he would be found innocent, he hadn't killed Gordet in malice he'd been trying to defend himself and his Father who'd already taken a bullet to the gut and had bled to death in d'Artagnan's arms.

D'Artagnan hadn't meant to kill Gordet, he'd been angry yes, but more than that he'd been frightened, he'd struggled with the gun and it had gone off.

The Detective in charge of the case had said that the Gun had been forced back into Gordet's hand after it had been fired, that clearly d'Artagnan had taken aim at his head and killed him in revenge for his Father.

d'Artagnan had denied this, had told the truth to the jury that he had only been trying to get the gun off Gordet, it wasn't even his gun for Christ sake!, it was Gordet's he'd brought it with him to rob their house! a house that had been sold to pay for bail and a lawyer. 

At nineteen years old he had lost everything, his Father, his home, and now his freedom!.

Fifteen years!, the Judge, The Honourable Richelieu had declared this a lenient sentence!, said he could have gotten twenty five for Manslaughter, that he should be thankful for him showing compassion over his Father's Murder!.

Compassion?, Lenience?, Bollocks!.

 

"D'Artagnan, Charles Ogier" 

d'Artagnan startled and shuffled forward to the desk where a tired looking man stood with a load of paper work, he would have been very attractive if it wasn't for the blood shot darkly shadowed eyes, over growth of beard and unkempt hair, also, d'Artagnan silently added as an after thought, if he wasn't a screw in the prison he'd just been thrown into.

"Sentenced to Fifteen years for Manslaughter" Athos said looking up and pausing at the sight of the tall skinny teenage boy who looked like terrified, wide frightened brown eyes briefly met Athos's before skittering away while he self hugged looking like he wanted to disappear into thin air.

Were he younger and greener Athos would take appearences as granted and be sympathetic to d'Artagnan, but he'd seen to many angelic faces hiding brutal sadists beneath the surface, just because the boy was young and looked innocent didn't mean he wasn't as hard as nails.

"You'll be put in G-Wing" Athos said briskly "I suggest you hand over any expensive jewelry?", d'Artagnan shook his head "Any medical conditions?", again a head shake  
"Right, sign this and then step behind the screen for the mug shots and strip search"

"Strip search?" d'Artagnan yelped his eyes getting even wider with fright 

"You could be smuggling drugs" Athos said coldly "We have to check for that and concealed weapons"

"I don't have either" the boy whispered tears glimmering in his eyes 

"Oh don't give me the water works!" Athos snorted and looked over his shoulder "Constance you deal with the strippy and mug shots"

"Right", a preety red haired woman came over and directed d'Artagnan to the booth for his pictures then into a small cubicle for his strippy, tears rolled down his cheeks as he was stripped down and searched, even forced through an internal exam!.

 

Sore between his legs, shaking all over and still crying as the numbness wore off and dispair set in d'Artagnan was lead down to G-Wing and shown into his cell.

"You'll be sharing with Porthos du Vallon" Athos said "Get the bed made up, lunch is at 1300 hrs", shuffling into the eight by six cell d'Artagnan gazed around the dimly light practically baren cell and sagged down onto the bottom bunk, after a few seconds he doubled over and began to shake with sobs

Athos gazed at the younger man the sight of him broken down into sobs striking a cord with him, there was something similar about him to Thomas when he'd been a boy, despite his usual reservations Athos couldn't help but take a moment and head back over towards d'Artagnan 

"Are you alright?" he asked looking at the boy 

"Oh yeah!" d'Artagnan said "I'm great!, banged up for shit I ain't done!"

"Manslaughter?, how could they mistake that" Athos said "What was it?, driving too fast?, drunken brawl?", d'Artagnan shot him a furious look from reddened eyes making him step back slightly at the sudden afront

"That bastard shot my Father and was going to shot me!, I tried to get the gun off him and it just went off!, I didn't fucking murder anyone!" d'Artagnan's voice broke as and he trailed off into further tears turning away from Athos to throw himself face down on the bare mattress and pillow shaking all over

Athos bit his bottom lip recalling now the story in the papers of the young man who had been arrested for the murder of an armed robber who'd shot his Father, at the time Athos had thought it odd that he would be charged with Murder for what had sounded like self defence, but he had forgotten about it as time had passed and had never expected to have the younger man in the prison he worked in.

He opened his mouth to say something but the bell rang indicating a return from work, pressing his lips together he turned away heading back to the office.

 

Porthos was in his late twenties, he'd grown up on the streets and become affiliated with many gangs, while he had never joined any of them he had done "Business" so to speak.

He'd done pick pocketing and shop lifting through out his childhood and teens to survive, then as he got older he became very adept at stealing cars and selling them to chop shops.

That was what had landed him in here, he had stolen a hire powered jeep and sold it on to one of his regular contacts expecting it to either be shipped out to Europe to be sold or that it would be chopped for the parts, that however had not been the case and he had been arrested after the jeep had been used in an armed robbery.

As his prints were still on the wheel and gear stick he was charged as being part of the gang and had been sentenced to five years.

Even his addmitance to the theft of the jeep hadn't made a difference, as far as the bastard Judge Richelieu had been concerned he was just another gang banger so he sentenced him anyway, and for the last eighteen months Porthos had been in this shit hole, sharing his cell with a junky until the little tosser had over dosed on his smack six weeks ago and he'd had a free cell since then.

Something that had clearly changed since as he entered the cell he found a young man sobbing on the bottom bunk.


	2. Chapter 2

"Who are you then?" Porthos asked as he walked into the cell and startled d'Artagnan making him look up and hurried wipe his tear stained face  
"Ain't another bleedin' junky are you?, don't wanna wake to another corpse in the mornin'"

"No" d'Artagnan whispered sniffing and looking at his feet his whole body rigid with fear, he may never have been in prison but he knew what happened in them, about the other prisoners beating the new inmates a single glance at Porthos told him he wouldn't stand a chance againt the larger man and he found himself wanting hide away even more than ever 

"Whats your name then?" Porthos asked looking the boy over figuring him hardly old enough to be out of juvey 

"d'Artagnan" came a horse whisper 

"D'art....oh bugger it I'll call you d'Art!", Porthos frowned at the skinny boy seeing the plain terror eminating from him, something he had seen all to often growing up on the streets, while he knew looks could be deceiving he sat himself down on the bunk next to d'Artagnan and patted his knee "It ain't so bad in 'ere kid, you'll be alright, you keep your 'ead down you could be outa 'ere in a few months on parole"

D'Artagnan snorted at that and shook his head swiping furiously at his eyes to keep anymore tears from falling   
"Won't be out of here for years" he replied 

"Bollocks, what you get?, eighteen months for shop lifting or something?"

"Fifteen for manslaughter".

 

Porthos's eyes widdened at the blunt response given in an emotionless voice, looking the boy over he doubted him even capable of taking a life, and yet he had known men smaller and skinnier back on the streets who would knife someone as soon as look at them, just because someone looked vulnerable didn't mean that they were, especially not in prison.

Porthos began wondering if having another junky might be better as a cell mate, at least all he'd had to worry about was over doses then not about getting a razor blade in the back.

"What about you?" the boy asked looking up at Porthos his doe like eyes again making him look far too innocent to be a killer inspite of what he had said 

"Aidin' an abetting an armed robbery" Porthos replied frowning at the flinch that brought from d'Artagnan and the way the boy seemed to curl in on himself, "Shit!, how the hell can that scare you when you've bloody offed someone?" he cried "If anyone should be afraid it's me havin' t'share a cell with a bloody murderer!"

"I'm not a Murderer!" d'Artagnan all but screamed "Why won't any bastard listen to me?, all I did was try and keep from getting shot!, I never meant to kill him!", turning away from Porthos, d'Artagnan moved right to the edge of the bed against the wall turning back to the other inmate and curling up in a tight ball.

 

Porthos bit his bottom lip as he looked at the boy feeling a twist of guilt in his belly for what he'd said but after debating with himself over appologising or just leaving things as they were he got up off the bunk and climbed up onto the top and grabbed his paper back to read in the uncomfortable silence.

 

Athos sat in the office sipping coffee that he had liberally flavoured with whiskey, he shouldn't be drinking on duty but considering the fact that half the Screws were on take, drugs, or shagging the Inmates his drinking hardly mattered.

He glanced up as Constance came in and sat herself down and felt her eyes upon him as he drank "What?" he grunted 

"The new kid, d'Artagnan" she said "He was sobbing all through his strippy and still weeping when I handed him over"

"I know" Athos muttered "I left him balling his eyes out in his cell!", Constance made a disgusted noise that had his hackles rising at once, "You really are green arn't you?" he muttered 

"I wouldn't leave any boy crying like that!" Constance snapped defensively 

"Constance if you fall for every sob story in this place you'll not last five minutes in this job" Athos said, in truth he did not mean to be insensative but he had seen it too many times, an angelic looking kid comes through gates balling their eyes out and singing some sob story or other making out that they had been coerced or forced into their crime and that it wasn't their fault so they could gain the sympathy of others only to show their true colours the moment they had what they wanted and there was nothing more they could milk out of their victim.

While he recalled d'Artagnan's case he didn't want to fall into the same trap as he had seen others do, besides which he had enough on his plate.

Five years ago he had been happily married man, living with his beautiful wife, seeing his brother through his last years at University, planning on having a family.

Then it had all gone to hell, Thomas had been suspicious of Anne for a while and had uncovered that she was not a Business Woman as she had claimed, but had actually been a major drug dealer.

Oh she hadn't sold on the streets, she had far more class than that, she had organised the import of thousands of pounds worth of heroine and cocaine which she had then supplied to the dealers, taking a large portion of their percentage.

Thomas had turned Private Eye and had discovered the empire, even the stuff about her having the poorest most desperate Men and Women risk their lives by mueling drugs.

Instead of going to the police he had decided to confront her himself, resulting in her stabbing him right through the aorta.  
Thomas had bled out within minutes dying before the ambulance had arrived, Athos had been in shock as Anne had been arrested for Murder, but that shock had become dispair as she had managed to escape while on remand and had remained at large ever since.

Athos had been drowning in drink ever since, had been drifting through his life or the sorry excuse for one, trying to find a reason to exist.

He'd been half way under the table in a pub when he had met Jean Treville Private Detective and begun talking to him, or in his case slurring!, but he had then ended up hiring the man to find Anne so that there might be some chance for justice.

 

As the Bell rang for lunch Porthos jumped down from his bunk and glanced at d'Artagnan, "You need to make up your bed" he said to him "Or you'll be getting it from the screws"

"So?, what the hell is worse than this?" d'Artagnan asked rolling over onto his back to look at Porthos through deeply shadowed eyes 

"Going onto solitary", d'Artagnan snorted looking unimpressed 

"Always be on my own now, I lost my Father cause of that bastard Gordet" he muttered "Been locked in here for fifteen years, called a murderer, what have I got left to loose?" 

Glancing briefly at the inmates heading to lunch Porthos closed the cell door too and sat himself down on the bed beside d'Artagnan   
"What happened kid?, why are you in this dump?, I don't figure you for a cold blooded killer, what was it a robbery gone wrong or something?"

"Yeah, 'cept it was me and my Father being robbed" d'Artagnan replied 

"Eh?"

"Bastard Gordet, he broke into out home, had a gun an everything, we caught him at it and he shot my Father" d'Artagnan explained "I struggled with him for the gun, we fell onto the floor and it went off", d'Artagnan gave a derisive snort and shook his head "Bitch detective said I'd killed him cold blood in revenge for him killing my Father"

Porthos gazed at d'Artagnan shaking his head "They sent you down for that?, self bloody defense?"

"Judge Richelieu said he was being lenient because of My Fathers Murder by giving Fifteen instead of Twenty Five" 

"Ugh y'got that wanker!, bastard did me an all" Porthos groaned "Twat head just' thought I was a gang banger and sent me down, all I did was nick that damn jeep I didn't know it was gonna be used in a friggin' robbery, bitch cop made sure no one believed me though" he shook his head and cracked his knuckles "Looks like we're both in the shit then"

"Yeah, an this place is definately the sewer", Porthos and d'Artagnan looked at each other and then broke into laughter 

"C'mon kid, lets get yer bunk made up then we'll go an see what mucks been slopped up for lunch!".


	3. Chapter 3

Muck was about right when it came to the offerings of the cantine, d'Artagnan didn't dare ask what meat was in the stew that was slopped onto his plate with a serving of smash that still had lumps of powder in it where the water hadn't been beaten in properly, the desert claimed to be a sponge and custard but looked more like a dried out sea sponge with lumps of bright yellow goop spooned over the top.

"I think I'll starve to death in here" he sighed pushing his plastic fork into the concoction trying to stab an under cooked carrot 

"Y'will if y'choosy over the grub" Porthos said forcing himself to stomach the meal, "Though once y'get y'spends y'can buy some crisps and chocolate in the shop, along with shampoo, soap, deoderant, tooth paste, smokes, and fizz"

"What no wine!?", Porthos laughed dirtily at d'Artagnan's slight show of humor, he had feared that the boy was broken already God knows he had looked to be when he'd first come in, but if he could joke, if he could complain about the food then he still had some spirit inside him.

 

Porthos opened his mouth to speak again but groaned as a couple of other convicts sat down beside them   
"Whats this then?, fresh meat for the grinder?" one of them asked leering at d'Artagnan and revealing yellow teeth behind his pierced bottom lip, he also sported an eyebrow bar and two nose piercings not to mention his stretched ear lobes

"Back off Bruno right now" Porthos growled glaring darkly at the leering man who sent shivers up d'Artagnan's spine just looking at him 

"Now now we jus' wanna greet the latest whelp in the Pen!" the Man beside Bruno said with dangerous smirk "Pup needs t'learn the peckin' order don' he?, sooner he's shown his place the better!"

d'Artagnan's already poor appetite was totaly lost by now, in fact he felt physically sick with the way Bruno was leering at him, all but undressing him with his eyes and drooling like a dog!, d'Artagnan was no fool, he had heard of what happened to young boys in prisons, what older tougher convicts did to them, especially in the showers 

"Ye see Whelp" Bruno's brother said placing a heavy hand over d'Artagnan's wrist "This is a Dog eat dog kinda place, an each new Pup that comes paddin' in needs to bear it's neck to it's betters?"

"Sebastian I swear......." Porthos growled sounding like a bear being disturbed mid hibernation 

"All good Pups know when to submit" Sebastian breathed tightening his grip on d'Artagnan's wrist as he tried to pull away "They know when to bend overARGH!"   
Sebastian let out a scream as Portho's meaty fist came down on his wrist with a powerful crack!.

As the whole cantine fell silent Sebastian pulled his arm back to his chest and craddled it while gritting his teeth and panting through the pain   
"Whats going on here?" Athos demanded coming over and eyeing the four men 

"Lemaitre 'ere jus' bumped himself din't yer mate?" Porthos said with a wolfish grin and a glint in his eyes that promised much worse injury if he didn't agree

"Yeah, like Porthos said, jus' bumped mesell" Sebastian ground out, he let out a horse cry as Athos took hold of his rapidly swelling arm to inspect it 

"Just bumped yourself you say?" he drawled eyeing the fist shaped bruising "Constance!, take this idiot down to the Medical wing, I think his wrists broken!"

Constance rolled her eyes and nodded opening the gate to take Lemaitre who glared at Porthos, his brother rising and scurrying to another table away from the larger man as fast as he could.

 

"Alright the shows over!" Athos called "Go on with your food"

"Food?, this shit ain't fit for live stock!" someone yelled out 

"Pigs wouldn't eat this shite!" another agreed 

"I don't give a fuck!" Athos muttered walking away and shaking his head while the convicts continued to spout insults and curse the food, save for a couple who were more interested in Porthos and d'Artagnan and were vocal about it 

"Shit Port' 'e yer bitch already!?" a heavily tattoed man yelled out 

"Mus' give a damn good suck and fuck f'yer to care like this!" another snorted while the rest of the cantine dissolved into laughter

"Yer can all go fuck yerselves" Porthos yelled in disgust and shook his head returning to his food as shouts of "Slut", "Whore", "Bitch", "Cock sucker", and "Bender" echoed round the cantine.

While he ignored them completely d'Artagnan flushed crimson feeling as if every eye in the place was upon him, it wasn't that he was homophobic in fact he had been openly bi-sexual since puberty, but to be called such names, to have everyone thinking he had happily bent over for a man he had only just met made him shudder both physically and emotionally.

 

One man however remained silent, he sat alone as he ate the slop on his plate, watching everything that was going on and smirking at those who stole frightened glances his way.

His name was Martin Lebarge and he was most feared man in the prison as he was a triple murderer and arsonist with a penchant for sadism.

He cared not whom he hurt, until most of those in the prison he had not committed his crimes for monetary gain, revenge, or on the orders of a gang leader.   
He had committed his crimes for the sheer joy of causing pain and devastation.

He was serving life in this prison and would not be leaving save in a wooden box, and it wasn't only the cons that were afraid of him but the screws aswell.

Lebarge was brutally volatile, his sadism coming out at the slightest moment with brutal consequences.  
Many of the Men who sat in the cantine had suffered from his malice, those who had escaped with a few broken bones had counted themselves lucky!, the others had been in the hospital wing for weeks suffering from ruptured organs!, one had even been forced to have half his hand amputated as a result of Lebarge crushing it in a doorway!.

While even the Screws knew that he was to blame no one would press charges against the monster and the Govenor Rochefort did not seem to care in the least, so Lebarge remained where he was instead of being sent to a more secure Prison for those bordering of criminal insanity.

 

Unlike the others who were cat calling or loosing interest in d'Artagnan to go back to chatting and spitting insults at the screws, Lebarge simply sat and stared at the new boy, a cruel and ice cold smile curving his lips and his cock hardening in twisted lust at the thought of having the youths warm blood over his hands.

 

 

"You don't want me like that do you?" d'Artagnan asked as he and Porthos emptied their plates into the bins and went to wash them before returning them to their cells 

"Eh?", Porthos frowned at the boy not getting him 

"You don't.........want me to........in your bed!" d'Artagnan mumbled biting his bottom lip and gazing at the floor praying hard to anyone who might be listening for it all to be teasing and not real.

Porthos gaze a loud laugh and slapped him on the back while shaking his head "Y'can sleep safe in yer own bunk brat!, I'm already taken! and yer too scrawny fer my tastes anyways!", he laughed again as d'Artagnan let out a sigh of relief and pulled him into a friendly headlock ruffling his hair as he released him   
"C'mon lets ditch are plates and I'll show yer round the rest o'this dump!" he said guiding d'Artagnan back to their cell ignorant of the cold eyes that watched them go especially as he was thinking of a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes that were teamed up a sinfully arousing pair of smiling lips that he hoped to have pressed against his own before lock up.

 

The person whom Porthos was in a relationship with was not a screw or an inmate, he was in a fact the Prison Chaplain Rene d'Aramis a former soldier who had suffered a nervous break down after witnessing the horrors of war.

Aramis was in his early thirties and was very handsome and flirtatious, especially for a Vicar!, though Protestant Clergy were allowed to wed no one ever really thought of a Man of the cloth having sexual urges without it conjuring images of dirty old cardinals in fifteenth century brothels!.

Aramis however was not a man one would immediately think of as being "Godly", he seemed far to romantic and free spirited for what was generally perceived as the stuffy confines of the cloth.

However despite his flirting and wicked sense of humor, Aramis was very spiritual and a deep believer in God, however he believed in Gods love and his infinite forgiveness rather than damnation and sin.

He had not intended to fall in love with an inmate when he had agreed to become the Prison Chaplain, but then he had never intended to become a Vicar when he had enlisted in the army and become a sharp shooter.

However after loosing most of his friends in a bombing and seeing those who had survived maimed for life he had seen the need for a new vocation in life having witnessed all the blood shed he could stomach for one life time, and had suffered severely with PTSD requiring extensive psychiatric treatment.

During in those long dark days when he had at times felt like he was loosing his mind and would be better off dead, Aramis had found comfort in The Bible and as he had recovered he had decided to seek a future in Theology and become a Vicar hoping that he could bring Gods comfort to others as he had found in Faith himself.

 

Porthos had been quite simply looking for a quiet place to smoke a spliff when he had stumbled across Aramis praying in the Chapel.  
Rather than telling the screw and getting Porthos put on segregation, Aramis had turned a blind eye to the spliff and had proceeded to launch into a discussion on the true meaning of The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, be it Peace, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Love, Or all of them combined.

Porthos had found himself so engrossed in the debate that he had forgotten all about the spliff and had made arrangements to meet Aramis again in the chapel at the same time the following day to continue their conversation, and their relationship had simply grown from there.

In a rather cliche moment during Christmas the two of them who had been dancing about each other for months by then had found themselves under mistletoe and had given into temptation.

That had been a little over a year ago now and the two of them had managed to keep their relationship secret, something they would have to continue with until Porthos was released from Prison, else Aramis would loose his job if he were lucky or be thrown into Prison himself if he were not.

d'Artagnan looked rather surprised when Porthos took him to the Chapel and told him of the comfort he had found in Faith, but having been raised a Christian himself he did not question it and felt a sense of hope spark in his heart at the warm smile Aramis greeted him with and bid him welcome to the congregation.


	4. Chapter 4

Marc Christophe Rochefort was the Governor of the Bastille Prison, a job he had been doing for several years now and thoroughly enjoyed his work.

Not as a man who taught the misguided how to help themselves and change the direction their life was going in, but rather as someone who enjoyed making everyone else miserable.

His Prison regime ran in two ways, brutal and slip shod.

When it came to drugs, violence, and other forms of abuse he turned a blind eye and let things continue as they were, caring nothing for the inamtes that got beaten to death in the toilets, or were raped and committed suicide.  
He would laugh coldly over his officers reporting drug over doses and the more dangerous inmates running protection rackets amongst the others.  
He'd even snort with amusement when rival gangs would clash resulting in fights and deaths.

When it came to the officers disciplining the inmates Rochefort was as brutal in that as he was in lax in other areas, he clearly believed in corporal punishment and encouraged the gaurds to abuse the inmates who stepped out of line, at least those that weren't in the pocket of his contacts anyway.

 

Rochefort was not merly a prison governor, that was just his official job, a place to hide in plain sight from those who would oppose him.

In reality he was the head of a huge Crime Syndicate known only as The Red Guard, they were involved in everything, prostitution, Drugs running, Blackmail, Money Laundering, armed robbery, fraud, kidnapp, even Murder!.

His gang had been affiliated with Gordet, the man who had murdered d'Artagnan's Father, and among others, the Senior detective who had investigated that crime was in Rochefort's pocket.

 

Leaning back in his chair he proped his feet up on the desk and sipped his whiskey while pressing speed dial on his phone and clicking on loudspeaker

"Rochefort" a female voice replied curtly

"The brat has been placed in my care, and assuming he survives, he will remain here for the next fifteen years" Rochefort said smiling as he lounged about indolently "I assume this means that the district is now under Red Guard control?"

"Totally" Milady confirmed "No one will dare stand up against them now that Alexandre d'Artagnan is gone and his pathetic son is rotting in the Bastille"

Rochefort gave a cold laugh at this and downed his whiskey and poured himself another "Any other problems that need attending?" he asked 

"Nothing worth mentioning" Milady said "It appears you'll have full control of the entire city in only a matter of time"

"City?", Rochefort snorted and shook his head "I will control not only this city but the whole County, and soon?, the Country".

 

 

Athos hardly glanced up from his slump at The Garrison, his favorite drinking hole, when Treville joined him and ordered himself a pint of Guiness and another bottle of Blossom Hill for Athos to drown himself in 

"Rough day?" he asked as Athos emptied his glass and refilled it with his new bottle wasting no time in starting on that 

"What have you got for me?" Athos asked not even bothering with the question 

"Not much" Treville admitted with a deep sigh and took a mouthful of his beer, "I told you when you hired me that this would take a while, your wife has a four year head start, thats alot of time to reinvent herself, especially in a world where cosmetic surgery is so easy to procure", Athos gave Treville a sour look, his eyes heavy and mood morose 

"I'm not saying that it is impossible" Treville said "Only that you need to be patient", the two of them jumped slightly as a tray of glasses was dropped resulting in shattering glass and applause from several other patrons drinking in the bar,

"Patient?" Athos scoffed as they turned back to their drinks "After so many years havn't I been patient enough?, how much more do I have to endure?, what does it take to get justice?", his rising voice attracted attention making Treville shift uncomfortably and huddle further into the bar 

"Maybe there is no justice in the world" Athos muttered downing his glass full and pouring another "Poor little d'Artagnan's been given fifteen years, and I read in the Paper a bastard Gang banger who has murderer written on his forehead got acquitted!"  
he shook his head snorting in disgust "Anyone with half a brain could see that the kid who gave him an alibi was a damn crack head being paid for it!"

"Why d'you think I left the Police force?" Treville said with more than a little bitterness in his voice "We'd break our necks trying prevent crime and catch murderers only to see the bastards walking free and have our hands tied behind our backs with red tape bullshit made up by bureaucrats!", the PI shook his head and let a soft snort out of his nose, "At times it seems like the justice system is made for the criminals rather than the innocent"

"You mean it isn't?!" Athos grunted sardonically "Because it sure as hell seems like it to me!"

"Says the man who works in the Bastille!", Treville gave Athos a commiserating smile and chinked his glass against Athos's, "What about this d'Artagnan?, new inmate?"

"Hmm, a boy, sentenced to fifteen for manslaughter"

"That sounds about right" Treville said "Whats troubling you over that?" he rose an eyebrow at the look of disgust Athos shot him, "What?"

"Don't you read the Papers?" Athos sneered "Charles d'Artagnan?, his Father Alexandre d'Artagnan was murdered during an armed robbery, Charles fought the robber and killed him"

"And he got fifteen years for that?", Treville shook his head looking utterly disgusted "Jesus bloody wept"

"Yeah, when the convict a boy of nineteen for trying to save his Fathers life and defend himself, what hope is there for me?" Athos grunted "Or for any other bastard in this shit hole of a world".

 

 

D'Artagnan bolted up right in his bunk as a blood curdling scream echoed about the wing  
"What in Gods name was that!?" he gasped placing a hand over his heart and panting from the shock 

"Just one of the junkys kicking off" Porthos replied "Mus' be 'avin' a bad trip"

"Sounded like he was getting murdered!" 

"Yeah, well, maybe he pissed off 'is cell mate!", d'Artagnan shot Porthos a startled look in the darkness only to purse his lips as the larger man gave a dirty laugh, "Y'alright in 'ere kid, ain't no one gonna mess wit'yer, not now they know I'm yer friend"

"Yeah, thanks for that" d'Artagnan whisped settling back down on the bunk and resting his hands over his stomach and trying to relax, but the sounds of crying, or insults and threats being shouted, and other quieter screams kept him from settling properly on the bed.

Dear God was this really to be his life now?, sharing a six foot by eight cell, picking at lousy food, trading phone cards for cigarettes, trying to snatch a few hours sleep between the screams and shouts, always having to look over his shoulder for fear of getting knifed in the back?.

A single tear rolled down his cheek as he lay there on the thin mattress and paper thin sheets, just a few months ago he'd been studying to become a Vet, he'd wanted to care for animals, he loved animals loved taking care of them, he had been happy and looking forward to the future, now?, now he couldn't see a reason not to hang himself at the first opportunity.

Laying quiet in the dark d'Artagnan lifted the sleeve of his pajama shirt and ran his fingers over the half healed cuts on his arm, tiny sparks of pain ran through his nerves, growing worse as he dug his nails in to pick off scabs releasing beads of blood.

His Father would have been devastated to see his Son hurting himself, but since his Murder the only time d'Artagnan had felt like he was feeling anything other than numbness or despair was when he was sinking a blade into his arm.

He'd never gone very deep, the bleeding stopping easily enough leaving him with a dull ache and a soreness for a few days as his body set about repairing itself. 

The cutting and bleeding had become as much of an addiction to him as heroine was to a smack head, for those few minutes he would feel a brief amount of euphoria, a moment in which his life wasn't in total ruins.  
Not everytime though, sometimes the adrenaline rush came from fear that he might have cut to deep and actually be dying, he had never before contemplated suicide, not even in the darkest moments of puberty when his hormones were going insane and he felt like he was drowning in them did he want to end it all.

But now as he lay in the dark listening to Porthos's snores and the cries coming from the rest of the inmates d'Artagnan truly was thinking of suicide, because after all, without his Father, without his home, there was nothing left and no one who would really miss him.


	5. Chapter 5

d'Artagnan jumped violently as the cell door was slammed into the wall awakening him with a jolt.

"Can't you bunch of bastards knock on the damn door or somethin'?" Porthos grunted as he pushed back his cocoon of bed covers and rubbed at his sleepy eyes and glared at the guard in the door way

"Oh nice to see you too Du Vallon" the Guard sneered his eyes flicking to d'Artagnan who had yet to move from the bunk, "Get up!" he snapped walking over and kicking the bed "You don't get any lie ins in here, get your arse out of there and into the showers"

"So you can 'ave a good gawp at us naked eh?" Porthos snorted jumping down from the top bunk and cracking his knuckles with a grin 

"Shut it, and move it!" the guard snarled storming out the cell to go and give another prisoner a lousy wake up call.

 

"Blood bastard" Porthos grunted grabbing his towel and wash kit while d'Artagnan slowly got out of the bed, making sure that his sleeves covered his arms well, "C'mon whelp, sooner we hit the showers the less suds there are on the floor and the hotter the water is"

"Right" d'Artagnan whispered shakily reaching for his own wash kit 

"Hey, I was only takin' the piss about the guards lookin' at us, there are doors on the cubicles, locking doors so we have privacy", d'Artagnan glanced up and gave Porthos a shaky smile, it wasn't so much the prison officers he was worried about when it came to the showers, but the other Cons, he'd heard what happened in the showers in prisons, especially to youngsters like him, even having Porthos with him didn't fully erase the fear in his heart, but he allowed Porthos to take him down to the shower block, even smiling slightly as Porthos gave a cheer over the fact they didn't have to wait long to get to the showers.

From further back in the cue Martin Lebarge watched as d'Artagnan went into the showers, grinding his knuckles into his palms with a smirk forming on his face, using his bulk to shove other inmates aside, Lebarge made his way back through the cue until he found Lemaitre who was grousing about the cast he had on his hand after his run in the day before with Porthos.

"I want you two to do a job for me" Lebarge grunted, had it been anyone else then Bruno and Sebastian would have told them to piss off unless they'd made a decent offer of some gear, alcohol, or smokes.   
But Lebarge wasn't anyone else, and neither of them wanted to piss him off and risk bearing the brunt of his wrath, no one sane would do so, or if not sane then those who at least valued the use of their limbs!.

"What d'you want mate?" Sebastian asked with a shrug 

"You two tossers are on servary duty for lunch ain't yer?" Lebarge growled 

"I am, don't know 'bout 'im now 'is 'ands bust!" Bruno grunted then yelped as Sebastian elbowed his ribs painfully 

"We'll be there, why?, wan' us t'serve yer somethin' special?" he asked making Lebarge sneer at them

"What?, even lousier shit than the usual crap we're served?" he said, "Bollocks, what I want is fer you pricks t'spill the muck all over the new brat, soak 'im in the lot", Lebarge gave them an evil smirk that had both brothers shifting uncomfortably, while they had no love for d'Artagnan they didn't like the look in Lebarge's eyes, nore did they really want to play a part in anything he had planned, however if they refused then the psycho bastard was likly to inflict whatever he had in mind for d'Artagnan upon them!

"Alright then" Sebastian said "Whatever you want mate" he shrank back as Lebarge pressed forward getting into his face 

"I ain't yer mate, yer do this an I don't give yer a good kickin'" he growled, just as a couple of guards appeared round the corner making him straighten up, "This evening, do it and yer safe".

 

 

Athos groaned as his hangover suddenly became a great deal worse as the Prison Governor came into the office calling everyone to attention 

"Right then, I want cell spins for all odd numbered cells, piss tests for Ronin, Tyler, d'Artagnan, Savage, Morel, and Cartier" Rochefort declared 

"Um Sir, Charles d'Artagnan isn't a known user" Constance said "He passed his strippy without any problems, well.......except for the cuts on his arm"

"Cuts?" Athos asked with a frown 

"Great, another bloody slasher!" Jussac grunted shaking his head "All we need, someone else slicing themselves into salami on a regular basis"

"Christ almighty!" Constance cried "Can't you show a little human compassion for a clearly troubled boy?"

"A boy who managed to blow the brains out of a man with great ease" Rochefort said in an emotionless voice, "Keep an eye on him, chances are the slashings an act to win sympathy votes, gain the ear of a shrink and an appeal out of here"

Constance slumped down in her seat as several for the Officers agreed with Rochefort, Athos however stared moodily into his coffee paying as little attention as possible to Rochefort's voice and only half hearing the Man when he said that he was to be d'Artagnan's personal officer

"Alright thats it" Rochefort said "Get the whips out and don't spare 'em!", with general grumbling and talking the officers set about their duties, Athos and Constance being the last to leave 

"That bastard would be happy if we still used whips and chains" Constance said reffering to Rochefort and gaining a grunt from Athos, "You should keep an eye on little Charles, whatever that tosser said, he's hurting big time"

"Yeah" Athos murmured making Constance sigh loudly and start to walk away shaking her head, but Athos reached out and took hold of her arm stopping her

"I'll keep a watch, I promise" he said giving Constance a weak smile "I....looked into the case and from what I can see he doesn't belong in this dump"

"Yeah, especially not for fifteen years" Constance agreed.

 

 

Chapel

 

Aramis let out a startled yelp followed by a laugh as a pair of strong arms wrapped about his slim waist and a bearded jaw rubbed against his throat   
"Am I about to be ravaged by a deranged Criminal?, should I be in fear for my life?" he asked with a grin on his face, leaning back into Porthos's arms happily

"Not for your life babe, your virtue however?" Porthos laughed treating himself to nibbling on Porthos's throat 

"Ah so it's my virtue I should be in fear for?" Aramis moaned, his breath hitching as Porthos's hand began to undo his belt and buttons to slide into his jeans and take hold of his cock, "What about someone coming in?" he whispered trying to keep from loosing himself in bliss even as Porthos expertly milked his cock 

"No one's coming, well they will be!, but no one'll catch us" Porthos chuckled "And I've been aching for this all bloody day!", Aramis let out a groan and closed his eyes letting Porthos run his hand over him, teasing his balls and rubbing his finger ever so slightly over the eye of his cock tormenting him all the more as his flesh lengthened and grew hard in the large calloused hand, panting and gripping tight to the table before him, Aramis spilled over Porthos's fingers and palm, shaking and panting while Porthos carefully cleaned them both up.

"I love you" Porthos whispered kissing Aramis's cheek making the Vicar lean into his and return the kiss, 

"My turn" he whispered sliding down on his knees and gazing up at Porthos with impossibly wide doe like eyes that made shone with the kind of love that made Porthos's heart ache.  
Aramis skillfully undid Porthos's jeans and took his length out, keeping eye contact with Porthos the whole time he leaned forward and licked his way from head to base grinning at the noises Porthos's made, noises that became all the more strangled as Aramis swallowed him whole, suckling and running his tongue over the hard flesh, his teeth grazing the sensative skin ever so slightly, his hand gently massaged Porthos's balls while he sucked as hard as he could at his lover, swallowing the seed as Porthos came with a deep groan.

"God, I want to spend a whole night with you" Porthos groaned as Aramis tucked him away and rose to his feet

"Only a night?" he teased 

"A lifetime" Porthos breathed leaning forward to give Aramis a kiss but at that moment d'Artagnan walked into the Chapel forcing them to move apart, "S'up mate?" Porthos greeted clearing his throat 

"Just looking for you, it's supper time" d'Artagnan said not missing the signs between Porthos and Aramis, though he could clearly see that he had walked in on something other than Bible study!, but since Porthos looked so happy when he was around Aramis, he wasn't going to cause a fuss, not unless he felt that Porthos was being abused, and while the relationship was not prohibbited he didn't think that Porthos was being forced into anything,

"Bes' get down before all the chips are gone then" Porthos said with a laugh "I'll see you tomorrow Aramis"

"I'll look forward to it" Aramis said with a smile and a lingering look at Porthos as the wrapped an arm about d'Artagnan to lead him to the cantine.

 

"You and the Vicar seem to get on very well" d'Artagnan quietly as he and Porthos stood in line for the food, if it could be called that!, 

"Yeah he's a cool guy" Porthos said with a beatific smile 

"And he's not.......it's mutual" d'Artagnan asked making Porthos glance at him with a frown, he shrugged and gave Porthos a kind smile "I don't care and I won't say anything so long as you're happy and not being forced into anything", the honest concern on d'Artagnan's face brought a smile to Porthos's, it wasn't often that someone cared about his well being, especially someone who hardly knew him, and d'Artagnan's worry for him made him glad that he'd extended a friendship towards the boy 

"We're all good d'Art, and it is very much "Mutual", I can assure you of that" he said ruffling d'Artagnan's hair and laughing at he grumbled and tried to rearrange it as they reached the food which the Lemaitre brothers were serving out, Porthos selected the chicken soup and ham roll and moved to help himself to a drink while d'Artagnan chose tomato only to let out a shriek as Bruno spilled it all over him, covering his clothes from collar to thighs in tomato soup

"You stupid bastard!" Porthos snarled "What the fuck are you doing?" 

"I was an accident!" Bruno protested 

"Whats going on?" Constance asked with a sigh coming over to see what the commotion was about 

"Twat head there just soaked d'Art in pissin' soup!" Porthos yelled "I should bloody drown yer in it for that!"

"Thats enough Du Vallon!" Jussac shouted joining Constance to provide back up "Go eat your supper, d'Artagnan get the showers and clean up" 

"Yes Sir" d'Artagnan murmured 

"I'll make sure you get some food" Porthos said glaring at the Lemaitre brothers to make sure they served up d'Artagnan's meal and took it to a table, missing the moment that Lebarge slipped out of the cantine after d'Artagnan.


	6. Chapter 6

d'Artagnan grumbled under his breath as he made his way to his and Porthos's cell to collect his towel, wash kit, and a change of clothes, it was just his luck to have been wearing a white shirt today, tomato stains never came out, and with the crap laundry fascilities in this dump he would hardly stand much of a chance of saving his shirt. 

Cursing the Lemaitre brothers for fools he made his way to the showers and went into the nearest stall closing and locking the door behind him, he hung his clean clothes up on the door hook and swiftly stripping off his soiled clothes he turned on the lupe warm water and hurriedly washed himself down enjoying the quiet of the showers and the privacy that he had not had that morning.

The noise of the shower and the gurgling drain drowned out the sounds of the door opening and heavy footsteps making their way into the showers, and d'Artagnan was utterly oblivious to anyone else being there as he finished cleaning up and turned off the shower.

Drying off he pulled on his underwear and laid the towel over his shoulders to step out of the steamy stall to finish dressing, but as he opened the door to step out a meaty fist collided with his face breaking his nose and sending him falling back onto the tiled floor with a cry of pain. 

Lebarge stepped into the stall grinning manically as he admired the fresh blood on his knuckles and lunged for d'Artagnan once again!.

Seeing the crazed brute coming towards him d'Artagnan instinctively brought his arms up to defend himself only to be grabbed by his wrists into vice like hands and hauled up onto his feet and body slammed into the cubicle wall, falling foward awkwardly d'Artagnan felt a bone shift and snap in his wrist but it was the least of the worries as Lebarge's boot conected with his ribs flipping him over onto his side and making him thump the back of his head against the wall with a painful crack!.

"I 'eard you was in fer manslaughter whelp!" Lebarge laughed kicking d'Artagnan in the stomach and the ribs "Mus' be a fuck up there, y'ain't got the ball fer a killer!"

d'Artagnan tried to curl up to protect himself from the blows that were raining down on him, but it was useless as Lebarge's powerful bulk over powered him and he found himself being hauled to his feet by his broken arm and repeatedly punched in the face until he was wavering on the edge of unconsciousness with blood pouring down his face from his split eyebrows, nose, and shredded lips

"Pathetic brat" Lebarge sneered bringing his knee up and hitting d'Artagnan in the belly and threw him back down onto the floor kicking at the younger mans thighs   
"Lucky fer you I ain't into shaggin' boy bitches" he informed a sobbing d'Artagnan as he took off his belt "But I am into teachin' 'em there place!", with brutal ferocity he brought his belt down onto d'Artagnan's back and shoulders, over and over again until the whole of d'Artagnan's back was bruised and bleeding.

Bending forward Lebarge grabbed a fist full of d'Artagnan's hair and yanked the boy up to his face breathing a mouthful of foul smell breath into d'Artagnan's bloody face  
"Jus' so yer know, if yer thinkin' o' grassin' t'the screws 'bout this, yer bes' start diggin' yer grave, cus if they learn who give yer the beatin' yer'll be six foot under 'fore the weeks out, got it?", incapable of speach d'Artagnan nodded his head ducking away as Lebarge pinched his cheek and tossed him back down, with a last contemptuous look at the boy he'd just beaten half to death Lebarge delivered a final kick to d'Artagnan and left him bleeding and sobbing in the stall.

 

 

Porthos tapped his fingers on the table while looking up at the clock on the wall, he'd finished his supper already and d'Artagnan's sat across from him untouched and going cold.

Pursing his lips Porthos toyed with his plastic spoon shifting impatiently in his chair as he waited for the boy to return   
"Wheres ya bitch gone Du Vallon?" one of the junkys called out "Off shaggin' some other fucker already?"

"Carry on and you'll be incapable of shaggin'" Porthos yelled back looking at the clock again, this was taking too long, d'Artagnan should have been back by now, how long did it take to have a bloody shower anyway?, a sick feeling settled into his stomach as he saw Lebarge walking back into the a cantine a satisfied smile on his scarred face.

Satisfaction and Lebarge were never a good combination, and leaving his plate and utensils on the table he hurriedly got up from the table nearly over turning his chair in his haste as he ran for the showers.

Bloody water puddles and the sound of crying drew Porthos into the first cubicle as he entered the showers and was greeted with the sight of d'Artagnan laying crumpled on the tiled floor beaten and battered within an inch of his life.

"Oh Jesus kid, that bastard Lebarge do this?" he sighed kneeling down and reaching out for d'Artagnan who flinched away with a yelp of fear, "S'okay, it's me Porthos, m'gonna help yer"

"P'thos.....'urts" d'Artagnan whimpered managing to turn his bloody and rapidly swelling face enough to look at his friend "M'back, arm, everythin'"

"I know kid, s'gonna be okay" Porthos babbled grabbing the wet towel and laying it over d'Artagnan's back, wincing at the bloody welts there which bled into the fabric of the towel, "Think you can stand?" he asked wanting to get d'Artagnan out of here to the medical wing as quickly as he could, d'Artagnan moaned and panted as he struggled to raise himself, needing Porthos's help to get off the floor, however his legs were undamaged so he was able to walk with Porthos support out of the showers and back into the corridor

"Okay, we need t'find a screw and get you some help"

"No!" d'Artagnan cried immediately paniced and jarred his wounds trying to pull away from Porthos, making them throb all the more "Said he'll kill me if a screw finds out", he looked at Porthos through tearful bruised eyes making the older mans heart ache for him 

"You don't need to say who did it, we're jus' gonna get you some help, get you t'the doctor"

"You won't say?" d'Artagnan whispered fearfully

"Nah, I wanna kick the fuck outa Lebarge fer this, but I ain't suicidal, an that bastard's a friggin' lunatic" Porthos replied supporting d'Artagnan as they slowly walked down the corridor "Sooner or later the prick'll pick on the wrong person an get whats comin' to him, an theres no one who'll give a shit when it 'appens".

 

The two Cons had only just made their way down the stairs when they ran into Athos who paled at the sight of d'Artagnan   
"He was beaten in the showers" Porthos said "Needs a Doctor real bad"

"Jesus Wept" Athos cursed taking up his walkie talkie "Delta Foxtrot to control, need immediate medical assistance on G-Wing, repeated immediate medical assistance on G-Wing over"

"Control to Delta Foxtrot received and understood medical assistance on the way, Control out" 

"What the hell happened?" Athos demanded kneeling down before the two Cons who had sat down on the stairs "Who did this to you d'Artagnan?", d'Artagnan whimpered and looked away, burrying his head in Porthos's shoulder as the large man kept an arm wrapped about his shoulders 

"You bloody thick or somethin'?" he snarled at Athos "He grasses the rest o'the pissin' wing'll be on 'im like a shitting Doberman!", Athos glared back at Porthos knowing what he was saying was true but hating it never the less

"How am I supposed to help d'Artagnan if he won't give me names to work with?" Athos ground out earning a snort from Porthos and a look of derision 

"A screw help?, more chance of a white blood Christmas!".

 

Doctor Lemay was the Prison CMO, in his time he had treated many shower beatings, over doses, suicide attempts, stabbings, broken bones, burns, and on one occaision an eye gauging!.

One thing all of the criminals had in common was the fact they would never reveal who had hurt them, some even claiming they had inflicted the wounds themselves when they had been stabbed in the back!.

d'Artagnan was no different, refusing to say a word as to who had attacked him while Lemay carefully treated his injuries, ordering x-rays of d'Artagnan's ribs and arm which he feared were broken.

While he cleaned and stitched d'Artagnan's back, a nurse set his broken nose and treated his face, apllying addesive strips to his eyebrows and forehead, and a single stitch to close the split under his bottom lip.

"Alright d'Artagnan lets get you to x-ray and set you up in a bed for the night" Lemay said as he finished with the dressings he'd applied to d'Artagnan's back and let the nurses take the boy down to be x-rayed. 

"When will he be able to go back on the wing?" Athos asked quietly from beside the bed d'Artagnan was sitting on 

"Hmm I want him over night in case of concussion, but barring complications I think he'll be ready to go back tomorrow morning" Lemay replied "I suspect he has a broken wrist and at least three ribs so he'll be requiring pain relief for some time to come yet"

"He'll be able to get that on G-Wing easy enough" Athos said with a snort knowing that there were more drugs in the prison cells than there were in the pharmacy!

"Well be that as it may, it's taken nearly thirty stitches to repair his back and those wounds will take weeks to heal!" Lemay snapped "How many more boys are going to have to come through here in that state before you lot do something about the bloody violence in this place?", 

"What the hell are we supposed to do when the Cons won't admit to who beat them?" Athos snarled back frustrated enough to take his temper out on Lemay since the Doctor seemed to see fit to do it to him, "If one of them talks, the rest take revenge, so no one ever says anything, and it's not like we've got eyes in the back our heads is it?" 

"Especially not sober ones!" Lemay sneered in disgust leaving Athos to mutter under his breath and kick at the bed frame in frustration.

 

D'Artagnan had three cracked ribs and two broken ones, along with a broken radius, and collar bone.   
Lemay adminastered a shot of Morphine before the bones were set and put d'Artagnan to bed telling Athos to come back in the morning to find out how he was doing and whether he would be fit to go back on the wing or not.

Instead of going straight to filling his report as he normally would have done, Athos made his way to the cell d'Artagnan was allocated to speak to Porthos.

He found the man sitting on the lower bunk scrubbing as d'Artagnan's stained shirt with a bar of soap, both of which he set aside when Athos came in   
"Wanted t'get it clean for the kid when he gets back" he said defensively at Athos's enquiring look "How is he?"

"He's got some broken ribs, collar bone and wrist" Athos said resulting in a curse from Porthos "Doctor Lemay is keeping him over night for observation but he should be back tomorrow morning"

"Great, back to this shit hole" Porthos muttered "What a thing to look forward to", he glared at Athos coldly with his eyes narrowing "It's shit 'im bein' in 'ere in the firs' place y'know?, he was only tryin' t'defend himself and his Father"

"I know" Athos whispered "But I don't make the law, nore hand out sentences"

"What do y'do then?, 'sides lockin' us up all the pissin' time?" Porthos grunted 

"Well what I hope to do is keep d'Artagnan from being hurt like this again" Athos said giving Porthos a hopeful look "And to help him endure this place until his paroll comes up", it was on the tip of Porthos's tongue to tell Athos to shove it, but when he saw the genuine sympathy for d'Artagnan in Athos's eyes he found himself giving the screw a head nod to show his compliance of this notion 

"I'll leave you in peace then" Athos said "Oh and Porthos?" he called as the man rose to get onto his bunk, "Well done for today, in helping d'Artagnan like that, I'll be making a note of it on your record and it'll look good for when you go before the paroll board"

"Cool" Porthos said giving Athos an eat shit grin "Prefer a couple of beers and a pack of fags mind!, but s'pose that'll do!", chuckling to himself Athos closed the cell door and locked it heading off to make his report feeling strangly good about his plan to help d'Artagnan and to work with Porthos as he did so.


	7. Chapter 7

Porthos was no fool, he knew it had been Lebarge who had attacked d'Artagnan in the showers, the sadistic bastard did it to all the newbies, hell he did it to those who'd been in there for years!, the son of a bitch got off beating people to a pulp, it was his brand of sex, his porn, his kink, while others got off on play boy, Lebarge got his thrills from the sight of fresh blood on his hands.

While Porthos knew this, he wouldn't grass to the screws, that would mean that every knob head on G-Wing would be out for his blood, nore was he going to try and take Lebarge on, he might have a temper and have won enough fights in prison to keep people from trying anything with him, he was not suicidal!.

Besides which, Porthos knew Lebarge had had help.

It could not be coinsidence that d'Artagnan had been covered in soup and been forced to go and take a second shower the very night Lebarge had decided to get his jollies for the week!. If that was true, and Porthos was pretty sure that it was, he could still exact revenge for d'Artagnan, but not on Lebarge, on his cohorts in this particular escapade, The Lemaitre Brothers.

 

Therefore, once breakfast was over and before work was to begin, Porthos hastened to the Brothers cell, forcing his way inside and slamming the door with his boot before spinning round and delivering a viscious punch to Bruno that broke his nose and sent him tumbling to the ground!.

"What the fuck man?" Sebastian cried while Bruno moaned on the floor clutching at his bleeding nose 

"You two twats helped that psycho Lebarge hurt d'Art" Porthos snarled advancing on Sebastian, the smaller man backstepping until he ran into the wall of the cell and cowered in fear at the murderous look on Porthos's face and the fact he had no where to run, he whimpered as Porthos pressed close to him, spitting in his face, "You two got my friend hurt, that you're gonna pay for!".

 

Sebastian doubled over with a horse cry of pain as Porthos's knee met with his fleshy stomach, as he bent forward Porthos's fists pounded his back, hitting his kidneys and going higher to break his ribs before grabbing his shirt and flinging him to the ground beside his whimpering Brother who pleaded desperately with Porthos!

"Please don't do this, please leave us alone!"

"Like you left d'Art alone?" Porthos sneered with a feral grin "No chance asswipe!", delivering a brutal kick to Sebastian's side Porthos lunged down and dragged Bruno up by his flailing arms, he cracked their foreheads together with a viscious head butt, released one of Bruno'd arms to free his fists and brought it down on Bruno time and again smashing his teeth and cracking his jaw under the force of the blows!.

Tossing a bleeding and only semi conscious Bruno down, Porthos turned back to Sebastian who was trying to make a crawl for the door, laughing coldly Porthos brought his boot down on the small of the mans back sending agonising waves of pain shooting up and down Sebastian's body, while the thug moaned and flailed Porthos grabbed his head by the hair and smashed his face down into the floor shattering his nose and cracking open his forehead!, twice more Porthos smashed Sebastian's face into the floor until several of his teeth were broken, his eyes and lips torn and bloody, and nose an ugly lump of misshappen flesh on his face pouring with blood, 

"I trust...." Porthos panted wiping his hands on Bruno's blankets, "That I've made my point clearly here!", he looked down at the sobbing, bleeding, and thoroughly battered brothers and snorted, pulling open the cell door he sauntered out leaving the brothers to get found by a screw or get themselves some help.

 

Athos chewed his bottom lip as d'Artagnan was released from the medical wing, his right wrist was incased in a cast and his arm supported by a sling, with his fractured collar bone he was urged by Lemay not to do any activity more strenuous than walking until it healed, his ribs too would need rest to heal, three were broken and four more were cracked, since there were on both sides of his rib cage it meant his whole chest ached as he breathed. His face was swollen and an aray of purples, blues, reds, and blacks with bruising and splits in the skin.   
He looked fragile and exhausted as he limped slowly over to Athos to go back onto the wing, "I want to him back here for a check up in a week" Lemay said taking off his gloves and disposing of them into a medical waste bin 

"No problem" Athos replied putting a guiding hand towards d'Artagnan's back but did not make contact knowing that the poor boy bore viscious welts there from being whipped, "You are signed off work for the next six weeks to give your body time to heal" he informed d'Artagnan as they slowly made their way down the corridor to go back to G-Wing, "If you need pain relief than you just need to ask for it and a nurse will be brought onto the wing with medication", Athos looked at d'Artagnan who made no response, he continued to limp along with his eyes downcast and face drawn 

Athos silently cursed himself, wishing he had been born with his younger Brothers gift of the gab so he would know what to say to d'Artagnan, how to make the poor boy feel better, but unlike Thomas he had not been blessed with the ability to charm with words, while not lacking in witts, Athos did know how to use words to "Make friends and influence people", Thomas had been able to do it effortlessly while Athos had always struggled to find and keep friends, fumbled through flirting, stumbling through dates that more often than not had resulted in disasters, by the time he had met Anne he had all but given up on love, was simply content to slump into being the antisocial brooder who drank too much. 

It had only been with Anne had Athos had come out of his shell so to speak, had relaxed and been himself, loosening up loosing alot of his clumsiness by doing so, for the first time he could remember he had been truly happy, perhaps that was why it hurt so much when she had betrayed him, why he had been so utterly destroyed and broken by her deception and cruelty.

In the last five years Athos hadn't bothered trying to please anyone, hadn't cared if he was thought of as a fool, or as a bad tempered bastard, hadn't cared about anything really, nore had he ever expected to again, yet now as he walked down the grim prison corridor with d'Artagnan at his side, he found himself caring, found himself wanting to help the boy who looked to devestated by all that had happened to him in so little time.

Clearing his throat and making d'Artagnan glance at him Athos flushed a little and offered d'Artagnan a sheepish smile, "I'm not very good at this" he addmitted getting a puzzled look from d'Artagnan, "Talking to people" he explained pausing to unlock a connecting door and ushered d'Artagnan through locking it behind them, "I never really know what to say, or what to do to help them"

"Why would you want to help me?" d'Artagnan murmured "M'just a Con, not worth your worry"

"You are, and I am worried about you" Athos said getting a disbelieving look from d'Artagnan, he couldn't really blame the boy for not trusting him, he hadn't exactly been over pleasent to him since his arrival, had treated him like every other criminal who came into this dump, had scorned his tears, hell he'd left him sobbing on his bunk!, why would d'Artagnan think he was doing anything but talking out of his arse?.

Sighing and running a hand over his face he opened the barred gate to the wing and locked it behind them taking d'Artagnan to his and Porthos's cell which was empty since the other Con was at work,   
"You should try and get some rest" Athos said guiding d'Artagnan inside, his face creasing in sympathy at the wince d'Artagnan gave as he sat down on his bunk "D'you need anything?, food, drink, Cigarette?" 

"No" d'Artagnan whispered gazing at his feet "M'jus gonna sleep"

"You're sure?", at d'Artagnan's nod Athos slowly left him alone to rest, shutting the door to and heading to the office where he found Constance writing up a report 

"Some one kicked the crap out of the Lemaitre brothers" she said as he came in and flopped down on one of the chairs 

"Good for them, hopefully that pair'll learn a lesson and settle down" he grunted dismissively 

"Sebastians nose was totaly crushed!, he needs surgary, and Bruno's jaw's been cracked in two places, he'll be a liquid only diet while it heals" Constance said taking a sip of her coffee "Who ever did this meant business"

"And naturally everyone in the vicinity was blind and deaf at the time of the assult?" Athos sighed rolling his eyes at her head nod "Well don't hold your breath on them talking either, no one ever does"

"Speaking of, hows d'Artagnan?" Constance asked, she'd not missed him being brought back to the wing looking like he'd gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson and was concerned for the poor boy, Athos sighed and shook his head 

"Distant, depressed, broken, I think he's giving up, if he hasn't already given up" he replied "Lemay wants to see him again next week, see how his injuries are doing, hopefully he'll be able to recomend some help for him, medication, or an appointment with the shrink"

"Can't you help him?", Athos nearly laughed at the question regarding Constance with more of a sneer than a smile, 

"Me?, I can't even help myself!, he needs someone other than me to help him".

 

 

D'Artagnan lay on his bunk with silent tears running down his cheeks, was this to be his life now?, getting beatings in the showers, being thankful he hadn't been raped, getting a night in the medical wing before being dumped back into his cell?.   
How was he meant to deal with this for the next fifteen years?, how was he meant to find any hope when he saw and all he felt was never ending dispare?.

Lemay had been concerned about the cuts on his inner arm, had questioned him but d'Artagnan hadn't bothered replying, he didn't see the point, why tell him anything when no one would care if he cut to deep and bled to death!.

Burrying his painful face into the thin pillow d'Artagnan grabbed his blanket and pulled it up over his body covering his head and curled up into a ball, closing his eyes and crying himself into an uneasy sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how short this update is, but I'm feeling lousy at present and working over time.

d'Artagnan was startled awake as Porthos stomped back into the cell and tossed his jacket onto the top bunk. 

Blinking owlishly d'Artagnan pushed back the bed covers and tried with little success to shift the soup that seemed to have taken up residence inside his skull instead of his brain! 

"Hey whelp you're back!" Porthos cried plopping down onto the bunk beside d'Artagnan with such exurberant force he actually made the bed shake!, "How you feelin'?"

"Umm, okay I guess" d'Artagnan said scooting up the bed and drawing his knees up to his chest, in truth his arm and back were throbbing relentlessly and his head felt so heavy and thick it was a struggle to think straight. In spite of the pain d'Artagnan decided against asking for more pain relief, he didn't like the way it was making him feel so disoriented, forcing a smile onto his face he looked up at Porthos giving him full attention, "So whats been happening while I've been gone?"

"I got the Lemaitre brother back for yer!" Porthos replied with a feral grin "Gave 'em a damn good kickin' fer helpin' Lebarge get you" 

"What?, why would you do that?" d'Artagnan cried hardly able to believe what he was hearing! 

"Because the bastards deserved it!, I warned 'em off once an they didn't listen, now they've paid the price!"

"Oh my God!" d'Artagnan exclaimed stumbling off the bed and pacing the room shaking his head and letting out frustrated gasps 

"Whats wrong?" Porthos asked truly perplexed by d'Artagnan's behavior

"Whats wrong?" d'Artagnan cried turning back to Porthos "Whats wrong?, what d'you think is wrong?, I nearly got beaten to death in the showers and then you go and do the same thing to two other men!"

"Because they deserved it, because they hurt you!" Porthos protested getting up 

"That doesn't mean it was the right thing to do!" 

"Why not?, ain't it what you did when you shot that man?". 

 

As soon as the words left his mouth Porthos regretted them, d'Artagnan's face paled and he made a move like he'd been punched in the stomach, stumbling back to slump against the wall looking like he'd just been told his worst nightmare was real. 

"d'Art" Porthos said wishing he was better at words and wishing that he could turn back time and retract the words he had spoken, "Look I.............I didn't....", he broke off as d'Artagnan gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob 

"No you're right" he whispered shaking his head as tears filled his eyes "You're completely right, it is the same, completely the same" 

"d'Art no.....no!" Porthos cried trying step forward and reach for d'Artagnan, however d'Artagnan moved away from him, his body language screaming "Stay away!" 

"I did kill that man, I killed him, and they were right to send me here!"

"No, d'Artagnan Richelieu was wrong, you're not a murderer you were defending yourself and your Father!, you were doing what had to be done!" Porthos protested "I'm sorry!" he added with a whisper

"Don't be" d'Artagnan murmured turning to look out the barred window "It doesn't matter anymore, nothing matters anymore".

 

 

Paris

 

Treville rubbed his forehead as he went through the tax rolls he had managed to bribe his way in to see.   
The best way to find people in hiding, look through tax rolls and voting records, the downside was it would take a long time to go through so many and follow up all the discrepencies he had found, alot he knew would turn out to be nothing, people dodging tax, living under another name, bigamists, fraudsters, the odd criminal escaping their past, while this could if he wanted provide alot of work his way he wasn't interested in that, Anne de la Fere was his goal and that was why he was ignoring all Male records and looking only at Female because unless she had had a sex change then women was what he needed to see. 

"A sex change!" he muttered knowing it was a possibilty these days but he doubted that a woman like that would do so, from what he had learned about Anne de la Fere and formally Charlotte Backson she was very much in love with her feminity, while she might have for a time dressed as a man he very much doubted that Anne would keep such a thing up long term, "And isn't that a poor choice of frazes!" he muttered shaking his head as he made a note of another name to check out.

As he went to move on he paused and looked back at the name with a frown forming on his forehead since he was sure he had heard it before   
"Milady de Winter" he whispered "Why d'you sound familiar to me?", he could swear that he hadn't come across this person as a Police officer, nore had he done so during his time as a Private Investigator, yet the name stuck out in his mind anoying him all the more because he couldn't place it. 

There were dozens more that Treville had to go through with the tax rolls, but he couldn't shake the feeling about Milady de Winter, he had to go and seek her out and now.

 

Thanking the clerk he had bribed, Treville made his way out of the offices and went down to his car groaning as he looked at the address which was right over the other side of Paris, Treville didn't even have to get into the car to look at the gage of his gass tank to know that he needed to go and fill up. 

"Paid by the case, why not by the hour!?" he muttered opening the door and climbing inside "I'm way to much of a sucker for a sob story!, a total sucker!".

 

Bastille Prison 

 

It had been over a week since d'Artagnan and Porthos's "Argument", well at least that was what Porthos was calling it since he didn't know what else to call it, and d'Artagnan had seemed to shut himself off more and more, sinking so far inside himself that it was a miracle if someone got a single word out of him. 

He wasn't eating, Porthos knew he wasn't sleeping, he would wake sometimes in the night to hear stiffled sobs from the bunk below or see d'Artagnan pacing the the cell back and forth. 

Porthos had tried, he really had tried to reach him, but he couldn't get through to the boy, d'Artagnan just repeatedly told him there was nothing wrong and moved out of Porthos's way somehow finding places to hide until lock up so his path did not cross with anyone. 

While he was loathe to do so Porthos had gone to Athos to ask him for help in reaching d'Artagnan, but if the boys behavior at breakfast was anything to go by, in which he spent the time pushing cereal round his bowl and took two sips of coffee before shoving the tray aside he doubted it had had any effect.

Aramis had offered to try and speak to d'Artagnan but Porthos didn't think he was close enough, and while that could sometimes help people open up he didn't think it would work in this case. Talking to Aramis had helped though, helped him at least, he had listened patiently to what Porthos had to say and had not judged him for his out burst, had advised him to be patient with d'Artagnan, to be there for him but not to push him into speaking before he was ready, just to be there and show his support without pressure.

Well Porthos had tried, he really had, but he had only so much patience which was why he had gone to Athos, which as stated had proven to be useless.

Following morning work Porthos made the decision that he would break through to d'Artagnan, no matter what he had to do he was going to get the boy to open up, one way or another. 

"One way or another" he grumbled as he opened the door to the cage and stopped dead at the sight which greeted him, a sight that had him staggered backwards out of the cell "Jesus Christ" he whispered gagging as sickness rose in his throat "Help!" he shouted turning and running for the screws office "Help me now!".


	9. Chapter 9

Porthos's desperate screams reached the office and drew out the Screw who were in there, Athos being the first to reach the gate and open it   
"What is it?" he asked as Porthos all but fell on top of him!

"You have to come, you have to help!" Porthos cried grabbing hold of Athos's uniform and dragging him across the hall to go to the cell he had just fled from

"This had better be good!" Jussac complained looking utterly disinterested until they reached the cell and saw what was inside, "Oh for the love of God!" 

"Jesus Christ!" Athos whispered fumbling for his radio "Delta Foxtrot to control Medical emergency on G-Wing immediate assistance required"....................

 

Half an hour earlier

d'Artagnan had never thought about death before his Father had died in his arms. Since then death had constantly been in his thoughts. Not just violent deaths but natural deaths, accidental deaths, he thought of them all, had started to wonder about it, what it felt like, really felt like, okay if you were shot or stabbed then you would feel pain that was obvious, but what else did you feel?, did you grow cold?, was there a sense of peace that came over you as the end drew close?, did the world suddenly make sense in a way it never had when you were alive?, could you feel your heart slowing down?, did you try to fight it as your lungs took in less and less air?, was there a white light waiting for you?, was there anything after death?. 

d'Artagnan had thought about this over and over, had imagined different senarios after death. Heaven and Hell, Reincarnation, drifting into nothingness as a swirl of atoms, even paradises out of his own imagination. 

He didn't fear death, not anymore, in fact he craved it, desired it even if it meant he would cease to exist completely, after all, could being scattered atoms really worse than this life he living right now?. 

The funny thing was he had always imagined than when a person killed themselves they would leave a letter behind to explain their actions, and he had done so, he had tried to write a letter, he'd been sitting at the table in his cell with a pen and paper but had realized he hadn't had anyone to write to, hadn't had any family, any friends who would miss him, Christ there wasn't even anyone would attend his funeral!, when his body was found it would probably just be thrown in a crematoreum and the ashes swept into a bin since no one would bother claiming them. 

d'Artagnan knew he should feel upset at this, but he was already so wretched with everything else he couldn't bring himself to care. 

As he had taken up the razor blade he'd swapped a packet of cigarettes he'd bought at the prison shop for, d'Artagnan had hoped that he would be able to see his Father again, that there was an after life and that they would be together again, even if it was just a fantasy it was a nice one to fill his mind with as he pressed the blade against his throat and sliced through the flesh.

The skin on his throat was thinner than that on his arms, it cut easier, parting like the crispy skin on a roast chicken, but there was no tender cooked meat beneath this skin, just oozing blood that spurted across the wall oposite the bed, smothered d'Artagnan's hand making it too slippy to keep hold of the razor, his shirt grew soaked with the warm sticky fluid along with his jeans and his bare feet was paddling the growing pool on the floor. 

The world swirled before d'Artagnan's heavy lidded eyes, he didn't feel his knees hitting the floor he didn't really feel himself slumping forward as he fell down on the ground into his own blood as the world went black. 

 

Present time

 

The cell looked like an scene from a horror movie!, blood splattered the wall and was spread over the floor in a thick pool that d'Artagnan was laying face down in!.  
After making the call for help Athos steeled himself and walked into the cell dropping down on his knees and with a shaking hand reached out to d'Artagnan's left wrist which was extended out in front of him, placing his fingers about the joint he felt a weak but present pulse.

"Oh thank God!", Athos swiftly rolled d'Artagnan over and half lifted him into his arms   
"Jussac help me!" he shouted pushing the blood soaked hair away from d'Artagnan's throat and face, finding the long thing wound on the boys throat that was still leaking blood "Get a towel, a blanket anything!" he cried pressing his hand over the wound to try and slow the flow of blood

Seeing Jussac dithering in the doorway unwilling to approach the room Porthos let out a disgusted noise and shoved the Screw aside, stomping in he grabbed his towel of the radiator and handed it to Athos crouching down in the blood, d'Artagnans blood   
"Is he alright?, will he be alright?" he asked looking at the grey skin on d'Artagnan's face where the blood had been smeared away, dear God his lips looked blue!

"I don't know" Athos whispered keeping the towel pressed against the wound to try and slow the blood "Where the hell is that med team!?" 

"d'Art, d'Art you gotta hold on alright" Porthos whispered taking d'Artagnan's hand and squeezing it "You gotta hold on, stay alive for us and it'll be alright"

"Alright?" Jussac snorted from the doorway looking rather green at the sight of the blood "Brat does survive and I'll smack him into the middle of next week for all this mess!"

"What?" Porthos cried

"Well couldn't he have hung himself instead of turning this place into a shitting slaughter house!" 

"You shut the fuck up!" Porthos cried rising to his feet with his fists at his side, things may have become even worse but at that moment the medical team arrived and pushed their way into the cell 

"What happened?" one of them asked 

"He's slit his own throat" Athos reported "His pulse is weak and getting slower"

"Loosing that much blood I'm not surprised" a nurse said as the stretcher was prepared for d'Artagnan while another prepared a large swab to replace the towel over d'Artagnan's throat 

"Can you call ahead to the medical wing and tell them we need blood and plasma waiting for us?" the nurse said to Athos who nodded rather numbly, his eyes fixed on the blood on his hands and his clothes 

"Alright lift on three" the nurse said to her partner, carefully they lifted d'Artagnan and got him on the stretcher wasting no time in moving him, with the amount of blood he'd lost they needed to get him to the med wing and start replacing it fast, finally making himself useful Jussac made the call for the nurses to get the blood and plasma ready, then made his way back to the office complaining about the report he'd have to fill out about this!.

 

Athos slumped down onto d'Artagnan's blood spattered bunk gazing at the blood on his hands and the river of it at his feet, "Why?" he whispered shaking his head "Why would he do this"

"S'my fault" Porthos mumbled slumping against the wall "I drove him to it", Athos looked up and frowned at him 

"No you didn't" he said "You've been a friend to him, tried to help him, to care for him, how could you possibly have driven him to do this!?", Athos gestured at the blood soaked cell "No, this wasn't you Porthos, this was being in here when he should have been free, this was being blamed for trying to protect himself and his Father"

"You do believe him then?" Porthos asked "That he's innocent?" the con crossed the cell and sat down on the bed beside Athos reaching into his pocket and pulling out a crumpled pack of cigarettes offering one to Athos who happily lit up and coughed as the smoke assailed his throat "Why'd that twat Richelieu sentence him?, pissin' obvious it was self defence"

"Because Richelieu's a bastard" Athos grunted "He likes handing out maximum sentences, makes him look good to his Old School mates!", Porthos snorted lighting up himself and taking a deep drag 

"Pile of shit" he muttered "Old wanker sentenced me, thanks t'that bitch cop making it look like I was part of the friggin' robbery and not just a car thief", Athos glanced at Porthos who shrugged his shoulders "I ain't exactly innocent, but I wern't no armed robber, never packed heat, never really hurt anyone"

"How did you end up stealing cars?" Athos asked 

"Grew up on the streets" Porthos replied "Not much else t'do, sell drugs, turn tricks, mug people, or nick stuff, I was always good at nickin' stuff, 'specially cars"

"And you went and stole the wrong one" Athos summized 

"Nah, sold it to wrong person" Porthos sighed flicking his cigarette and wincing as ash fell into the blood "We've got to clean this" he said 

"Not us, specialist cleaners will do this" Athos said placing a comforting hand on Porthos's shoulder "D'you want to come down to medical and see how d'Artagnan's doing?" he asked getting a small smile from the larger man 

"I'd like that sir"

"Athos, just Athos" 

"Okay then, Athos". 

 

Medical wing

 

d'Artagnan was laid in bed on transfusions of blood, plasma, and saline, his skin was still grey and his nose and lips blue tinged, his throat had been very quickly stitched, with the amount of blood he was loosing there had been no time for making things pretty and he would be left with an ugly scar, but Lemay was confident that he would live, whether or not he would want to?, well that was another matter altogether.

"He won't wake up for a while yet" the Doctor said not bothering to question as to why Porthos had been brought in and was allowed to sit beside d'Artagnan's bed and hold his hand "When he does he'll be weak for a good while"

"What...um, will he be sectioned?" Athos asked looking at the pale boy on the bed 

"He should be" Lemay replied "But I don't think time on the Muppet wing will help matters, and they'll never agree to him being transfered to a normal secure unit where he could get real help", Athos bit his lip and nodded "I'll have Doctor Larroque come and see him, she's due in tomorrow anyway" Lemay added 

Ninon de Larroque was an eminant psychiartrist, she gave up her own time to come into the prison and offer her services as a councellor to the Cons, perhaps she would be able to help d'Artagnan, stop him from doing anything like this again. 

 

Athos opened his mouth to speak but at that moment Rochefort walked into the medical wing and sneered at the sight of d'Artagnan   
"He'll live?" he barked at Lemay

"Just" Lemay replied with an irritated sigh

"When will he be fit to leave here?" 

"Not for at least a week!" Lemay said, perhaps an exageration, but he wasn't going to make things easy for Rochefort 

"Stick him on the muppet wing as soon as possible then!" Rochefort said waving a hand at Athos and Lemay as they began to protest and turned to scowl at Porthos "What are you doing here?" 

"Shaggin' sheep enit!" Porthos sneered in respose 

"Do you want to go on report?"

"D'you want a boot in the face!?" 

"If I may!" Lemay said putting himself between Rochefort and Porthos before they could start kicking off "I can't have my patients disturbed, and d'Artagnan will be treated by myself and Dr Larroque and we will decide if he needs the care of the psych ward, alright?", Rochefort pulled back his top lip in a sneer at the doctor, he gaze turning to Athos looking him up and down 

"Get yourself cleaned up, and get back on the wing with Porthos, I don't have time for this rubbish" he sneered "And Doctor?, if he trys to off himself again, let him bleed to death, one less mouth to feed!".

 

"Bastard!" Porthos growled as Rochefort turned and walked away 

"To say the least" Lemay muttered going to check d'Artagnan's IV line "I'll let you know when he wakes up" he said to Athos with a slight smile 

"Alright, Porthos...?"

"Yeah" rising to his feet Porthos laid d'Artagnan's hand back on the bed and lingering with him for a moment "Will it be alright if I go down the chapel Athos?, I'd like to talk to Father Aramis?"

"Of course" Athos agreed his gaze lingering on d'Artagnan and a decision being made in his mind, he was going to help d'Artagnan, he would get his case looked into by Treville and he'd help him find a solicitor and arrange an appeal, maybe he'd never get justice for Thomas but he would for d'Artagnan.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My cold has left me with a sinus infection, ear infection, and a chest infection so I appologise if this chapter isn't up to much.

Aramis held Porthos as the larger man wept into his chest, clinging onto him as if his life depended on it. 

"It'll be alright Porthos, I promise" Aramis said as he rubbed Porthos's back in a continuous massage 

"It's my fault Mis, I pushed him too far, I accused him of being a murderer!" Porthos wept his large frame shaking as he sobbed "God if that poor kid dies............."

"He won't" Aramis soothed "The Doctors stopped his bleeding, they'll make sure he doesn't hurt himself again, and this isn't your fault, not in the least"

"I beat up the Lemaitre brothers though" Porthos sniffled "And I didn't keep a close enough eye on d'Artagnan, I knew he was upset, I knew he was lonely and I just left him!"

"No Porthos, you went to work as you were ordered by the Officers, it's not your job to watch over people it's theirs, if anyone is to blame it is them for not seeing that d'Artagnan was ill and needed help"

"Athos's trying to help him, he ain't bad for a screw, he cares for the kid" Porthos mumbled sitting up and rubbing his cheeks, he would have wiped his nose on the back of his wrist but Aramis handed him a handkerchief with a cluck of his tongue for the dirty habbit Porthos was about to make!, grinning a little Porthos blew his nose and wiped his eyes, "He took me down to the medical wing so I could see d'Art, he didn't have to do that"

"True" Aramis agreed rubbing Porthos's shoulders "And I'm glad he did, but it's you I'm worried about, I don't want you to blame yourself for this, none of it is your fault"

"Yeah" Porthos snorted "So you keep saying"

"I mean it!" Aramis snapped getting Porthos's full attention "Porthos you may have been wrong in beating up the Lemaitre Brothers, but you did not take a blade to d'Artagnan's throat, nore did you put that blade in his hand, he would have done this anyway, this was something that was always coming and has been for some time"  
"Since his Father I'll bet" Porthos muttered shaking his head "It's such a load of bollocks y'know, 'im bein' in 'ere, all 'e did was try t'save his Father, it's just bollocks he got done for manslaughter"

"Just the same as you being done for armed robery" Aramis sighed pulling Porthos closer and resting his head on the mans shoulder 

"Yeah, but if I 'adn't been done, then we might never 'ave met" Porthos murmured a small grin spreading his lips 

"You don't think we were fated then?" Aramis asked in an amused voice 

"What like star signs and shit?, I never understood that stuff much, how it's supposed to work"

"Well it's mostly superstition not fact" Aramis said kiss Porthos's jaw "I'll explain it some time, teach you the history of it if you want me to"

"Yeah I'd love that, 'specially if we 'ave black boards and uniforms!" 

"Behave!"

"I am!, though I do think you'd look cute in a mini skirt and fish nets!".

 

The Wren

Treville had not been best pleased when he'd received the call from Athos demanding a meeting at short notice, how in the hell was he supposed to tail someone when he was getting pulled out at the last minute!?. 

Irate with life and sick of the convenience food he'd been living off for the past week, Treville threw himself down into the booth beside Athos with a dark scowl on his face   
"This had better be good!" he grunted "I might have actually found a lead on your Wife, and it cost me an extra tank of gas to find it, an extra tank that has now gone to waste since you called me in here at the last minute!"

"I deeply appologise for the inconvenience!" Athos drawled, rather amused by Treville's complaints "But I am afraid this couldn't wait"

"What couldn't" Treville grumbled his expression hardly changing as a pint was set down in front of him while Athos was served another glass of red, apparently he had prempted Treville's drink choice, and done so rather well the PI had to addmit albeit grudgingly, his eyes narrowed on the glass of red that Athos was drinking, a glass?, where the hell was the bottle?, and the others for that matter!, "Are you sick?" he asked hardly able to believe Athos would cut back so much on his alcohol consumption 

"I'm drinking responsably for once" Athos replied sipping his Merlot and smiling at the dry taste, "However that is not the reason I called you"

"And the reason is?", Treville took another mouthful of beer now genuinely intrigued 

"Charles d'Artagnan" 

"The boy sentenced for manslaughter?" 

"One and the same" Athos said "I want you to look into the case, I don't think he did it, intentionally killed that man I mean, I think he was unfairly convicted"

"Indeed" Treville said "You do realize that there is a problem with me looking into his case don't you?", at Athos's blank look he sighed "I'm trying to find your Wife, I'm not going to have time to do both"

"Fuck my Wife!" Athos spat "Not literally!" he added as Treville's eyebrows reached his receeding hairline "But the bitch can wait, I can wait, d'Artagnan can't", he sighed and bit his bottom lip "He tried to kill himself Treville, he slit his own throat!"

"Christ" Treville swore "Is he alright?, I mean........is he going to be alright?"

"Yeah, his cell mate Porthos found him in time, just, and we got him to the medical wing before he bled out, but it was close, too close, and unless he has something to give him a reason to live, something to hope for I can't see him recovering from this, he'll come straight out of medical and do the same thing again and next time he might not be so lucky as to survive", Athos knew he wouldn't get the sight of d'Artagnan slumped in his own pool of blood out of his head anytime soon, that was something that was going to haunt him for a long time to come

"I want to meet the kid" Treville said taking another mouthful of beer "If I'm going to be prying into his private life then I want him to be on board"

"I'll arrange a meeting as soon he's off medical" Athos replied "If you can turn up anything on this case then it'll help me get him a solicitor to appeal his sentence, if not get him released outright then at least have it shortened from fifteen years", Treville nodded already planning to go and start looking through all the back dates of the papers resports on the case and start looking into getting the court transcripts, the police file would be useful too, very useful

"You're sure about me putting your case to the back burner for a time?" he asked 

"I am" Athos stated "Anne could be anywhere, it could take years to track her down, d'Artagnan's case needs to be sorted sooner, and I'm willing to wait, and I'll pay your fee"

"No, have this on me!" Treville said surprising Athos "Keep me on the payroll to find Anne for you, and I'll sort d'Artagnan free of charge"

"Thats......thank you" Athos stammered having not expected this at all "I don't know what to say"

"Then do us both a favor and say nothing!", the two men grinned at each other and enjoyed the relaxed company as they drank in silence.

 

Bastille Medical Wing

 

Heavy eyelids slowly slid back to reveal glazed brown eyes surrounded by dark shadows on a too pale face. 

d'Artagnan blinked groggily as he tried to work out where he was and what was going on, his throat was as sore as hell, his mouth tasting like he'd spent the night on the piss!, pressing his hands on the bed he made to sit up only to feel pain shooting through his wrist and his the back of his other hand. 

Sinking back down with a groan d'Artagnan remembered what had happened, what he'd done, slowly he reached his hand to his throat, feeling the dressing that was over the slash he had made, his throat hurt painfully and was not helped by his probing fingers which were removed as his arm was gently taken and laid back on the bed.

Glancing up d'Artagnan saw Lemay at his bed side. The Doctor gave him a smile as he took his pulse and then nodded   
"So, how are you feeling this morning?" 

"How d'you friggin' think?" d'Artagnan grunted, or at least he tried to, his voice was horse and came out as a rasping whisper 

"You're vocal cords are thankfully undamaged, your voice will return as your throat heals" Lemay said giving d'Artagnan a soft and sitting down in the plastic chair beside the bed, "We need to talk about what you did, why you did this to yourself?"

"Ain't gonna believe I cut myself shavin' then?" d'Artagnan asked sarcastically, he sighed at the look Lemay gave him and shook his head "Why d'you think I did it?, what have I got to bloody live for eh?, fifteen years in this shit hole?, parole in ten if I'm fuckin' lucky?, and then what?, I've no family, no friends, no money, I don't even have a shittin' place to live anymore!", tears filled his eyes as he spoke, spilling down his cheeks as d'Artagnan let out the pain he had been holding in, "I've got nothing and no one, what chances have I getting a decent job, making new friends?, as far as the world is concerned I'm a Murderer!, why shouldn't I kill myself?, what possible reason do I have to stay alive?" 

Lemay opened his mouth to speak, to try and give d'Artagnan some comfort if he could, however at that moment Athos came up to the bed   
"Maybe I can give you a reason" he said to d'Artagnan, the younger man snorted looking away with bitterness on his face, Lemay gave Athos a small smile and got to his feet vacating the chair for Athos to use, "You should try and eat some breakfast" he said to d'Artagnan indicating the tray on the table that slid over the bed, "I'll be back later" he sighed when he didn't getting a response hoping that Athos would have more effect on speaking to d'Artagnan than he was having.

 

"Are you going to listen to me or just stare at the wall while I talk?" Athos asked sardonically, while d'Artagnan wanted to ignore Athos the good manner drummed into him by his Father made him turn to face the Screw, however he kept the scowl on his face and his eyes burned with resentment

"Well now I have your attention I have some good news for you" Athos said 

"Yeah?, and what would that be?" 

"I've hired a private investigator to look into your case and when he's gathered enough evidence I'll be hiring a solicitor to appeal your sentence".

 

For several moments d'Artagnan just stared at Athos in complete shock, any words he wanted to say died in his throat.   
He shook his head at Athos trying to think of something to say but finding nothing, eventually he managed to force out a single word, "Why?" 

"Because you don't belong in here, because your sentence was unfair, because you deserve justice" Athos replied 

"Yeah but..........this will cost thousands" d'Artagnan whispered "I'm broke, completely broke!, there's no way I can pay you back for this!"

"You don't have to" Athos said taking d'Artagnan's hand, mindful of the IV and sqeezed it gently "I'm paying for this, you don't have to pay me back in anyway, except by never doing this to yourself again"

For the first time since his Father's death d'Artagnan felt something in his heart that was not grief, he felt the slightest fluttering of hope stirring inside him,   
"But why would you do this?, why would you even care?" d'Artagnan asked 

"Because I have suffered injustice myself, and I don't want to see anyone else go through the same thing" Athos said with a sigh, at d'Artagnan's frown he glanced around to check that there was no one else listening, not really wanting anyone else to over hear his private business as he replied   
"My wife murdered my Brother and escaped police custody, no one knows where she is"

"Jesus" d'Artagnan whispered his eyes widdening in shock "I'm sorry"

"Yeah" Athos laughed mirthlessly "Quite a pair arn't we!?", a small smile stretched over d'Artagnan's face and he gave a faint chuckle nodding his head, "So" Athos said clearing his throat and looking at d'Artagnan's firmly "D'you promise me you won't hurt yourself again?"

"Yeah, okay"

"Seriously" Athos said "And I want you to talk to the councellor when she comes in, Doctor Larroque, because I think your problems need more help than me and a private investigator can provide", d'Artagnan grimanced not over relishing the thought of speaking to a shrink, but considering what Athos was doing for him he could hardly refuse this, pressing his lips into a thin line he nodded his head, "Thank you" Athos said squeezing his hand again and rising to his feet "Now you'll be in here for a few days yet, I might be able to get Porthos down to see you again, but once you're ready to go back onto the wing I want to set up a meeting between you and the PI if thats alright?"

"Yeah thats fine" d'Artagnan agreed far happier about this than the shrink 

"Alright then, I'll leave you to eat your breakfast in peace", Athos chuckled a little as d'Artagnan gave the cold soggy toast and gruel like porridge a distastefull look and ruffled the boys hair affectionately "I'll see you soon" he promised a rare smile smile on his face and a light hearted warmth filling him as he left the medical wing.


	11. Chapter 11

Doctor Ninon de Larroque was not at all what d'Artagnan had been expecting. 

In his mind he had envisioned a middle aged battle axe of a woman wearing a tweed suit, horned rimming glasses on her nose, with her grey hair scraped back into a tight bun on the back of her head. 

He was pleasently surprised to find that the real Ninon de Larroque was in fact only in her thirties with long golden hair and a madonna face. 

While obviously being extremly intelligent and very good at her job, Ninon was easy to talk to and did not judge d'Artagnan at all. He had gone into the councilling session with a rather closed mind and cynical mood, he'd not intended to talk to Ninon about anything, but as she welcomed him with a warm smile and gentle hand shake d'Artagnan had found himself relaxing as he sat on the plastic chair in the small visitors room and slowly but surly opening his heart to her about why he had tried to take his own life.

"You never attempted to harm yourself or even thought of doing so before your Father's murder?" Ninon asked as d'Artagnan explained his reason for slitting his own throat 

"No" he replied shaking his head "I............went through some depression during adolesence but I never hurt myself and I never needed pills or anything"

"And you always had a very close relationship with your Father"

"Yeah", d'Artagnan's smile was a sorry thing and his eyes glimmered with tears "He was like my best friend aswell as my Father, he raised me alone, didn't matter how tired he was from work he would always have the time to play with me when I was a child, and when I got older to help me with homework", d'Artagnan gave a small laugh and wiped his nose on the back of his hand "He never even batted an eyelid when I said I thought I was bi-sexual at thirteen, he just told me to be careful and not to get hurt"

"He was a good man" Ninon said with a smile 

"He was", d'Artagnan broke off and swiped at his face as tears began to run down his cheeks "Sometimes I can hardly believe he's really gone, sometimes I forget, like if I just wake up in morning I expect to hear him calling for me to get my lazy arse out of bed and that I was too old for him to be waking me up!, yet even so he would bring me a coffee anyway and a cup of cocoa at night!"

"And when you are fully awake?" 

"When I am fully awake the happy dream fades and I am left with nothing but stark reality, a reality in which Papa is dead and I am in prison labelled a murderer", d'Artagnan sighed and looked up at Ninon longingly "Would you want to live under such circumstances?" he asked 

"Honestly?, I am not sure" Ninon replied sitting back in her chair "Would I be strong enough to go through what you have and not lash out at the world and myself?, I know not, until a person suffers such extremes they can not say how they will react with any certainty"

"You don't think I'm just mad then!?" d'Artagnan asked surprising a laugh out of Ninon

"No, not in the least" she said "I think you are a very intelligent young man who has suffered a great deal of loss and trauma in a short space of time and have not had either the help nore the chance to truly grieve and deal with what has happened, obviously you are grieving for your Father as is to be expected, however I think aswell as depression you may also be suffering from Post traumatic stress"

"PTSD?" d'Artagnan asked with a frown "I thought only soldiers got that"

"No, while it is a common difficulty faced by military men and women who have witnessed the horrors of war, those outside the armed forces can also be effected by PTSD, people who have suffered severe abuse, wittnessed crimes, or as in your case have suffered at the hands of criminals can develope PTSD" Ninon explained "Many people caught up in 9.11 and 7.7 developed the condition, some of them in the police force, Medical services, fire service, others who survived the bombings, and some who wittnessed the horrors of those days", Ninon leaned forward and smiled at d'Artagnan "That you are struggling to cope with all that has happened to you is not surprising, what you must do now is not blame yourself, not start believing that you are at fault for struggling with what you've been through"

"Thats easier said in this shit hole!" d'Artagnan snorted waving a hand at building 

"Oh I know!" Ninon laughed "Which is why I would like you to have a support group to help you, you've already said that you have friendship with Porthos du Vallon, and Father Aramis, and I would like to encourage that friendship so you will have people you can go to for help and comfort when necessery, I would also like for us to continue to see one another once a week and for you to keep a diary of your feelings, to write out what it is you feel when you are hurting"

"I've heard of people doing that when their having therapy" d'Artagnan mused 

"Indeed, it's a common tool used for the treatment of depression" Ninon said reaching into her case and pulling out a prescription pad "I will also prescribe a mild dose of anti depressants that I will keep you on briefly" she said writing down a prescription for 35.5 mg of Venlafaxine, "These will take a good six weeks to fully build up in your blood though you may start to notice some effects before then and saddly some side effects, the most common being dry mouth, excessive sweating, and fatigue, if however you start to feel sick, have stomach cramps, develope a rash or fever, suffer hallucinations then you must get medical attention immediately" 

"How long will I be on them?" d'Artagnan asked not over cheered by the thought of being on "Happy pills" 

"Three months, then if your depression is improving and you feel comfortable enough in yourself we will start to lesson the dosage and wean you off them" 

"No cold turkey then?" d'Artagnan quipped getting a smile from Ninon

"No, but I would not like to keep you on them long term if it can be helped" Ninon said signing the script and handing it over to d'Artagnan "Give that to Doctor Lemay and he will see it filled, and I would like to see you this time next week?"

"That should be fine" d'Artagnan said "I'm off work till my back and arm heal anyway"

"I'll speak to your personal officer and make sure the appointment is arranged" Ninon said, rising from their seats both shook hands and feeling a little better d'Artagnan left the visitors room being met by Athos in the corridor.

 

"All done then?" Athos asked 

"For this week, she wants to see me again next week" d'Artagnan replied with a smile that for once reached his eyes "She said she'll arrange the apointment with you?" 

"Of course" Athos agreed and nodded towards the script as they made their way back towards the medical wing "She's prescribed something?"

"Happy pills!, for while, to help me feel better" d'Artagnan said with a laugh "So if you find me sitting in a corner dribbling with a deranged smile on my face you'll know why!", Athos snorted in amusment pleased that d'Artagnan had some humor back 

"I've arranged for you to see the Private Investigator too" he said as they reached the locked gate and paused for him to open it "He's coming in two days from now if thats alright with you?"

"Yeah, the sooner the better" d'Artagnan agreed "It'll take months for an appeal to reach the court won't it?" 

"Saddly yes" Athos said guiding d'Artagnan through the gateway and locking it behind them, he stopped dead when he saw the smile on d'Artagnan's face as the boy looked at him, "What?" he asked 

"You smell of aftershave instead of scotch" d'Artagnan replied reaching out a hand to stroke Athos's shaven cheek "You've slept aswell, you don't look so ragged"

Why did the boys touch feel like fire to his skin?, why did his heart quicken as he looked into those dark eyes?, why did he have to clear his throat before he could reply?, Athos was at a loss as he did all this and swallowed hard as he spoke to d'Artagnan 

"I have.....been feeling better, confession is good for the soul as they say, perhaps my confessing to you of Anne has helped me"

"Perhaps" d'Artagnan whispered noticing for the first time that Athos was in fact an attractive man, he was so use to seeing him as a drunken wreck, a sleep deprived grump, another discontented screw that he had failed to notice the blue/grey eyes that shone like a winter morning sky, the pleasent smile lines about them, and his kissable bearded lips with an interesting scar upon them

"What happened?" he asked ghosting a finger tip over the scar and feeling Athos's warm breath on his hand 

"Nothing exciting, a hare lip nothing more" Athos replied a sefl deprecating smile gracing his face "When I was a boy I would make up some fantastical story about the scar, say I got it sword fighting with bandits!, or leaping through a window to save someone from a fire!, or a bad fall while performing acrobatics!", d'Artagnan snorted with laughter making Athos laugh too 

"When you were a boy!, I surprised you can remember back that far!"

"Hey!, I'm not that old whelp!"

"No?, not in your dotage just yet?" 

"Not in the least!" Athos growled grinning despite the teasing "And if you're not careful you'll be across my knee!"

"Ohh so what they say about screws is true then!?" d'Artagnan snorted continuing to walk on down the corridor while Athos paused for a moment thinking about what he had just said and the fact that if anyone ever heard of it he would be out of a job in a moment!, yet as he had spoken he had felt like he was chatting with a friend not a prisoner, he had felt comfortable talking to d'Artagnan in a way he had not felt comfortable talking to anyone in years. 

Why him, why that should be so Athos didn't know, didn't dare look to deeply, he was not some green screw fresh out of training getting caught up in the care of inmates, he knew better than to form attachments, he had to put a stop to this right now before anyone got hurt, either himself or d'Artagnan, especially d'Artagnan.


	12. Chapter 12

Porthos let out a loud cheer as d'Artagnan was brought back onto the wing by Athos who stepped aside to let the two friends have some privacy. 

Rising from his seat where he was finishing some slop that apparently claimed to be shepards pie, he pulled d'Artagnan into a strong hug and held him tight 

"Don't you ever do that t'me again kid, scared the bleedin' 'ell outa be yer did!" he said placing a kiss on d'Artagnan's head and ruffled his hair as he let him go "You doin' alright now?, y'not gonna do nothin' stupid again are ye?, cuz I bloody swear I'll tie yer t' the damn bed t'stop yer!" 

"I'm alright" d'Artagnan said feeling a little over whelmed by Porthos's exuberant greeting, "Athos and Lemay have got me seeing a shrink, and she's put me on some pills, thinks I've got PTSD and depression"

"No shit yer depressed, don't need a friggin' MD t'work that out!" Porthos snorted "Any fucker in this dumps bleedin' depressed" 

"Well yeah!" d'Artagnan laughed before sobering "But she is good, really good to talk to", he looked over his shoulder at Athos who was speaking with Constance and smiled "He's been really good to me aswell, he's hired a private investigator to reinvestigate my case, and once theres enough evidence he's going to get me an appeal lawyer!", Porthos's eyes widdened at this, never in all his time had he heard of a screw helping out an inmate, oh the decent ones might help get a con off drugs but to re-open their case and pay for the legal proceedings?, he could hardly believe his ears!

"Why would he do that?" he asked sitting back down and beckoning for d'Artagnan to take the seat opposite 

"Because he's had a bad past" d'Artagnan said "He's been hurt bad and didn't get justice"

"Like any of us do" Porthos muttered looking up and eyeing Athos, he hoped that the man was on the line and wasn't just stringing d'Artagnan along, last thing the poor kid needed was to get his hopes raised and then have them shattered once more. 

Seeing Porthos watching him, Athos broke off his conversation with Constance and went over to the table to the two were sitting at, seeing that d'Artagnan had no food and had yet to eat he turned to the servery and ordered that a meal be served for d'Artagnan 

"We've only got vegie quiche and a couple o'spuds left" the little tosser who was on servery duty said 

"Thats fine" d'Artagnan said with a shrug, he saw the thin meat sauce with a few rock solid carrots and onions thrown in and topped off with baddly mixed smash that Porthos was trying to force down and was glad he hadn't been lumbered with the Shepards pie!

"Theres tapioca for dessert" the con sneered as he brought the tray out and laid it down before d'Artagnan "Looks and tastes like frog spawn so you're probably best skippin' it!" 

"Thank you for the commentary Rochere now get back to work!" Athos said with a long suffering sigh 

"Alright fer you!" Rochere spat at Athos "You ain't gotta live of this shit!"

"Aye, wouldn't kill you lot t'serve us somethin' edible for once!" Porthos grunted giving up on the shepards pie and turning his attention to the tapioca, stirring it with his spoon and wrinkling his nose at it 

"I'll bring it up during the next staff meeting!" Athos said with a smirk and rose an eyebrow as the quiche bounced under d'Artagnan's fork!   
"I err just wanted to say that I've arranged for you to have the next few days off work Porthos" he said 

"Eh?"

"I thought you could spend some time with d'Artagnan, help him settle back in" Athos explained 

"I don't need a baby sitter" d'Artagnan said through a mouthful of potatoe 

"An I ain't gonna be one" Porthos said "But we can 'ave some fun while I'm off work" he grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at d'Artagnan who snickered a little 

"Just don't get up to too much mischief!" Athos sighed "or at least don't get caught!".

 

 

Porthos led d'Artagnan back to their cell and closed the door, grinning he went the bunks and climbed up, he put his finger tips beside one of the bare bricks in the wall and slowly pulled it out revealing the hollow behind it where he had stashed some pot and several miniture bottles of alcohol!.

"What d'you fancy?" he asked "Scotch, Vodka, Gin, Tequilla, we're out of biccardi but there is a rum left!"

"Bloody hell!" d'Artagnan whispered climbing up onto the bunk to join him "Where the hell did you get all that?" 

"One of the guys in 'ere" Porthos said "He's in fer smugglin' and prison ain't cramped 'is style non!" 

"So it seems!" d'Artagnan laughed accpeting the tequilla which he opened and took a good swig of it letting out a breath "Shit!, it's been a while since I had a drink"

"Take it easy then" Porthos said drinking the scotch "Don't wantcha gettin' rat arsed and sent down the block fer a week!", rising up he handed the bottle to d'Artagnan and jumped down from the bunk to go to the table and grab a couple of bags of a doritos, "This'll be better than that shit they served fer dinner!" he said climbing back up "You mus' be gettin' your spends soon, we got pay day in two days, be able t'go t'the bleedin' shop and get some more smokes" 

"I'm not sure I'll get any" d'Artagnan said "I havn't been working"

"Nah yer signed off sick, yer'll get minimum spends as if yer were on sick leave from work" Porthos said with a shrug "Be able t'get some bits and pieces"

"I'll buy you some smokes then" d'Artagnan said "Pay you back for this", he raised the tequilla and finished the bottle, taking care to put the miniture back in the hidy hole to be disposed of later 

"Nah kid, this is a welcome back prezzy from me" Porthos said with an indulgent smile "Make up fer me........puttin' me foot in it"

"What.......what are you talking about?" 

"Lemaitre brothers, me kickin' the shit outa them and comparing it t'what 'appened wit' yer Papa, it was shit, I was bein' shit an I'm sorry", d'Artagnan's face softened and he smiled at Porthos in gratitude 

"It wasn't you're fault that I...............did what I did, it wasn't because of you" 

"Maybe, but I didn't 'elp the situation" Porthos said pursing his lips and sighing "I ain't good wit' words d'Art, always say the wrong thing, me bloody feet seem t'live in me gob at the best o'times!, but what I'm tryin' t'say is, I'm sorry", d'Artagnan smiled and reached over to give Porthos's shoulder a squeeze 

"I know, and thank you" he said "And as for your foot-in-mouth syndrome, I think you've done pretty well with words today!" 

"Well I might'o practised the speach a bit for when you got back!" Porthos said with a sheepish grin making d'Artagnan laugh and after a moment he joined in himself, "Right thats enough of the soppy stuff, lets 'ave another drink and roll some o'this spliff, might as well enjoy our free time!". 

Rue saint Jacques 

Treville's Office/Appartment

If there was on thing Treville hated about investigating then it was Paper work. 

It didn't seem to matter that people used e-mail and txt messaging these days, that it was supposed to be a paper free society or that he was no longer on the force, he always seemed to end up with a load of paper work to go through one way or another. 

Looking into d'Artagnan's case was no different, he had spent hours going over the court transcripts which he had managed to get a copy of, looking at accounts given by the wittnesses, which had been the d'Artagnan's neighbours who having heard screaming and gun shots had called the police. 

By all accounts Charles d'Artagnan was a model citizen, had never been in trouble with police, no driving offences, no drunk and dissorderly, no petty shop lifting as a teen, not even a graffiti charge!. 

The neighbours had discribed the boy as being friendly, intelligent, and out going.   
He had never had wild parties with friends or been seen coming in and out at all hours drunk or stoned, his relationship with his Father had been very close, Alexandre had been devoted to his Son, and had been very proud of him and supportive. 

"Why would anyone doubt it was self defence then?" Treville whispered to himself as he lay down the transcript and turned to d'Artagnan's testimony, his sharp blue eyes running over the document swiftly 

Prosecution "What happened after your Father was shot?" 

d'Artagnan "I think I screamed No, or Papa, he was clutching his stomach and fell to the ground, there was blood on his hands and coming out of his mouth........I.......I tried to go to him but Gordet hit me across the face"

Defence "Medical examination showed a cracked cheek bone from blunt force trauma believed to have been caused by the butt of a gun your Honor"

Judge Richelieu "So noted"

Prosecution "You say Gordet hit you, with the gun?" 

d'Artagnan "He hit me, I'm not certain what with, but my head was spinning and I fell to the side, the next thing I knew Gordet was on me and the gun was in my face......., I grabbed at the gun and at Gordet, we struggled and both ended up on the ground, I was trying to get the gun away from him, away from me...."

Prosecution "You wanted to get the Gun from Gordet?" 

d'Artagnan "Yes"

Prosecution "So that you could use said gun to shoot him and get revenge for your Father's death?" 

d'Artagnan "What?, no!, I wanted to stop him from shooting me, stop him from hurting Papa anymore than he already had!" 

Prosecution "Then why did you not merely knock the gun from his hands, take your Father and flee?, why did you fight him for possession of the gun?" 

d'Artagnan "I couldn't knock it from his hands, he was fighting me"

Prosecution "Fighting for his life"

d'Artagnan "No!, he was fighting to keep the gun so he could use it on me!"

Prosecution "You Honor that is supposition, the defendant could not know the true intent of Gordet" 

d'Artagnan "True intent?, he murdered my Father!" 

Judge Richelieu "Sustained, Monsieur d'Artagnan refrain from speaking save in answer to a question or you shall be held in contempt of court". 

 

On and on it went, the prosecution exhausting d'Artagnan, reducing the poor boy to tears, leaving him unable to keep on answering questions that he twisted the answers to anyway, the useless defence council doing nothing to stop it, and Richelieu allowing the poor boy to be grilled despite his obvious distress. 

As far as Treville could see this was a simple case of self defence, d'Artagnan had done nothing wrong, he'd been frightened and had reacted, Gordet had already shot his Father in cold blood, it was pretty obvious he wasn't going to think twice about doing the same to d'Artagnan aswell. 

Plus looking back into Gordet's history the man had an extensive criminal record going back to childhood in which he'd been in juvie twice, once for selling drugs, the second for assult and battery. Then he had graduated to adult prison for GBH twice, and Armed robbery before he had finally met his end at the d'Artagnan's. The man was clearly an out and out criminal who had not combunction about harming others, had d'Artagnan not fought with him then he would have died along with his Father.   
However, despite Treville's opinion this was not proof of anything other than a prosecution councellor being very good at his job and a defence councellor sleeping through his!, Treville needed more than this if he was going to find something worthy of getting d'Artagnan an appeal. What he needed to do now was look at the police reports, the investigating officers notes and report, listen to the interview tapes and gather as much evidence as he could. 

"Investigating officer, who was the............" Treville broke off his muttering when he came across the name of the detective in charge of the case, he sat back in the chair and let out a huff of breath hardly able to believe what he was reading, yet there before him in black and white was the name. 

Detective Inspector Milady de Winter.


	13. Chapter 13

Prison Chapel 

 

"Please kneel for the Lords prayer" Aramis said to the small congregation, he was pleased to see that d'Artagnan was part of said congregation as he had been everyday for the past week. 

He was acompanying Porthos who as usual was front row and centre making it difficult for the vicar to concentrate on his lesson as he constantly felt Porthos's eyes upon him, stripping his clothes from his body and eating him up!.   
The was always the sinful temptation to look over at his lover, to fall into those soulful dark eyes, to imagine his hands running over those firm muscles, being possessed by thos powerful arms, pinned against a wall with his legs wrapped about Porthos's trim hips, or splayed out across a bed being ridden by the beautiful man. 

At times Aramis found himself loosing his track of thought, his words becoming jumbled and face reddening as he caught Porthos's knowing smirk. 

Today had been no exception, and as Aramis knelt to lead the congregation in the Lords Prayer he was busy saying his own prayer that he could get a few minutes alone with Porthos today, his own hand was alright but it was hardly the same as being shagged brainless by his beautiful Porthos!.

 

"You got therapy after this ain't yer?" Porthos whispered into d'Artagnan's ear as they were meant to be praying 

"Yeah why?", when Porthos didn't reply d'Artagnan followed the other mans line of sight and grinned since Porthos's eyes were fixed on Aramis, and the look on his face told d'Artagnan everything he needed to know. 

"I'll be gone an hour" d'Artagnan said to Porthos with a smile "Enjoy yourself".

 

 

While d'Artagnan was in his therapy session with Ninon Athos stood outside the door waiting patiently. 

Treville should have been in to see d'Artagnan earlier that week, however the PI had rung Athos stating that he had a lead that he needed to follow right away and he would postpone his meeting with d'Artagnan for a later date. 

Athos had been worried that it was set d'Artagnan back to learn that Treville was delaying their meeting, however d'Artagnan had taken the news well enough, and asked for Athos to set up another meeting as soon as possible. 

Porthos however had grunted in derision at Athos, clearly despite their brief uniting over d'Artagnan's assult the inmate did not trust Athos as far as he could throw him, despising him for being nothing but a screw. 

Athos couldn't really blame Porthos, not when he worked with the likes of Jussac and Cahusac who happily put their fists in the prisoners faces and turned blind eyes to beatings and over doses, doing nothing but making everyones life a misery. 

Athos had not exactly done anything to prove to Porthos that he was that much different to them, especially since most of the time he stank of booze, well not since he had started helping d'Artagnan, he'd been laying off the booze, had been eating better and taking care of himself, even Constance had noticed that he was now wearing after shave clean shirts and looking healthier.   
Athos was also feeling better, not being drunk every night and hung over every morning had his head clear, his energy levels increased and general health much improved. 

Not only was Athos intending to dry himself out, and help d'Artagnan, he was seriously thinking about his life in general. 

When he'd entered the prison service he had thought he would be able to help the inmates, to change the system, to do some good, but all these years later his eyes had been opened and he had lost faith. 

What he would do with himself, with his career he didn't yet know, where he would go, what he would do he wasn't certain, but he did believe that his life would better somewhere other than Bastille Prison. 

However, as certain as he was of leaving the prison service he was not going to do it right away, he was going to see that d'Artagnan got some justice and got out of this shit hole, or at the very least got a much reduced sentence. 

 

 

Porthos was waiting in the privacy of his cell for Aramis who finally joined him fifteen minutes after the service. 

"How long have we got now?" Aramis asked closing the door and taking off his jacket and white collar 

"Forty five minutes until d'Arts therapy session is over" Porthos replied laying back on the bunk and resting his head on his fist to watch Aramis climb up and join him   
"Don't 'ave t'worry 'bout the screws neither, the one that ain't watching the workers will be down the Officers boozer topping up from last night!"

"So I've got you all to myself then!" Aramis purred sitting on the bunk and getting his hip flask out "Not champagne but better than nothing" he said handing it over to Porthos who took a grateful mouthful enjoying the JD that Aramis had brought in. 

"You tryin' t' take advantage of me Father?" Porthos said handing the flask back over to Aramis "Abusing your position of trust in this shit hole!" 

"I suppose I am!" Aramis replied taking a swig off whiskey and pulling a tube of KY jelly from his trouser pockets "However I would not wish to force you into a situation that would be compramising for either of us!" 

"What sort of situation would that be then?" Porthos breathed undoing his jeans and pushing them down his thighs, watching eagerly as Aramis undid his own trousers and shoved them down, it'd be nice to strip completely but they could not take the risk of getting fully naked, not if they had to suddenly redress quickly, so it was better that they only free parts of their bodies. 

"Well" Aramis drawled squirting his fingers with the lube and rubbing them together to to warm it before sliding his hand between Porthos's thighs, "I would think someone finding me on my knees before you would be suspicious"

"Yeah, but it could be innocent" Porthos gasped biting his bottom lip as Aramis's fingers slipped inside him "You could be polishing my............ugh............shoes!" 

"True" Aramis said with a grin and bent forward to run his tongue over Porthos's cock suckling him and teasing him with his mouth and tongue 

"Bet if they found you in my lap it'd be a might suspicious and comprimising!" Porthos groaned having to grip the bed sheets to keep from putting his hands on Aramis's head as they Vicar sucked him and tormented him with his fingers,   
"What would ngh!, ohhh!, they................ugh!, say if they...............fuck yes!, found you........in my..................lap!" Porthos panted closing his eyes and clenching his jaw to keep from crying out loudly as Aramis's performed acts with his mouth that would have put a Monmarte Prostitute to shame!. 

 

"Too fast babe, too fast I'm gonna cum!" Porthos whispered trying to lift Aramis by his shoulders but the Vicar used his free hand to push Porthos's hands back sucking with more earnest until Porthos was cumming down his throat with a long muffled cry!. 

Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand Aramis sat up and pulled his fingers free from Porthos's well prepared body and swiftly lubed up his own length that was already half hard and swiftly became completely errect after a few strokes of his hand.   
Nudging his way between Porthos's thighs Aramis grinned at his sated lover who was watching him from heavy lidded eyes and happily allowed him to lift his thighs and thrust inside his pliant body. 

This was the first time that Aramis had taken Porthos, so far it had been the other way around, Aramis having worried about hurting Porthos, about abusing his position of trust even more so than letting Porthos fuck him, but the younger man had been insistant, had sworn that he was not taking advantage, and that he wanted Aramis to take him, to be burried inside him and spill his seed in his belly. 

As he sank into Porthos, Aramis felt like he was fourteen again and doing this for the very first time!, he felt the same nervousness and excitement that he had years ago, wanting to please his lover, wanting to get everything right, and wanting to experiance that magical bliss he'd heard tell of so many times!.

As he began to move in Porthos, Aramis made sure to be gentle, fearing using to much force, but as Porthos began to squirm and moan he was unable to keep from thrusting harder and faster, pumping his hips and and burrying himself in Porthos's hot depths as deep as he could go, Porthos for his part moaned and gasped, reaching out and grabbing Aramis's shoulders, trying to pull him closer still as if he wanted to have the whole of Aramis inside him completely!. 

"Need you love, want you!" Porthos moaned as he clenched about Aramis's cock making the Vicar see white as his length was massaged and rubbed "Harder Mis, I won't break!" he urged making Aramis loose the last of his self control and began to rut Porthos as fast as he could, the old metal bunk bed shaking beneath them as they writhed on the thin matress until Aramis was spilling hard into Porthos and collapsing over the older man to enveloped in his arms and pulled into a loving embrace. 

 

 

d'Artagnan came out of the private interview room with a smile on his face and nodded to Athos who rose from his slouch against the wall.   
"I take it everything went alright then?" the older man asked 

"Pretty much" d'Artagnan replied "She wants to see me again same time next week?" 

"That'll be fine". 

The two of them walked in a companionable silence to the first gate which Athos opened and beckoned d'Artagnan through, pausing as the boy turned and sniffed the air "What?" he asked 

"Your aftershave" d'Artagnan replied "I've never known you to wear any before", Athos felt his cheeks colour slightly at the observation by d'Artagnan 

"I've......just been taking better care of myself" he said fumbling with the keys as he locked the gate 

"You look better for it, less worn" d'Artagnan said with a smile that light up his whole face, "You've trimmed your beard aswell as shave your cheeks" he pointed out "It looks good", Athos was definately flushing now, he was not used to being complimented especially not be far too pretty boys that were barely over the age of consent and were under his care! 

He found himself totally tongue tied as he continued to guide d'Artagnan back to his cell refusing to look at the boys profile, or his slim hips and pert backside!, he was not developing feelings d'Artagnan!, he would not let himself even remotely consider this!, d'Artagnan was an inmate, he was jail bait, he was completely off limits to Athos!, no matter what Athos would not act on this obserd desire he was developing, nothing would sway him on this, nothing at all!. 

 

He was still trying to convince himself of this when he and d'Artagnan walked into the cell to find Aramis and Porthos still in a state of undress trading kisses and sharing a cigarette and flask between them!.

"What the................" Athos trailed off as Porthos and Aramis sprang apart as if they had been burned and gazed at him with frightened eyes, well Aramis look frightened, Porthos looked murderous!

"This ain't none of your bastard business screw!" the Con growled "You say nothin' or I'll rip yer tongue outa' 'ead!"

"Porthos" Aramis whispered in caution 

"Nah, he's ain't fuckin' this up for us babe!, I ain't gonna let no fucker take you from me!" 

"Please!" d'Artagnan said in a pleading tone as he turned to Athos his face creased with concern "They're happy they're in love!" 

"Father Aramis is in a position of trust" Athos said in a resigned tone "I have to report this"

"I understand" Aramis whispered with a sinking feeling in his stomach, maybe if he was lucky when they sent him to prison they'd put him in here and he could still be with Porthos!

"I pissin' don't and you ain't sayin' shit yer hear me!?" Porthos snarled jumping off the bed drawing himself up to his full height, cracking his knuckles menacingly at Athos 

"I've got no choice" Athos said "He's taken advantage of you"

"Advantage my arse!" 

"Please don't do this!" d'Artagnan begged taking hold of Athos by his uniform "Please just pretend you never saw this, that you know nothing of this", Athos looked at d'Artagnan with a sympathetic smile on his face, he opened his mouth to speak, to explain how sorry he was, that he didn't want to do this, but that he had to do this, however as he did so d'Artagnan suddenly lunged forward shoving Athos against the wall and captured his mouth in a deep searing kiss!.


	14. Chapter 14

Athos froze for a moment, his mind going completely blank and his body becoming rigid under d'Artagnan's hands and mouth, somewhere, way way at the back of his mind Athos's conscience screamed at him to push d'Artagnan away, to stop him from doing this, to get the hell out of this cell and file a report before he found himself on a sexual assult charge!. 

However it was not his conscience that took control as movement came back into his body, it was his ardor that jumped into the driving seat so to speak and he found himself returning d'Artagnan's kiss and reaching up to caress the boys bum fluff stubbled cheeks and hold his slender but muscular shoulders in his hands!.

This should not be happening!, this was not happening!, he was not kissing an inmate in the cell of said inmate where he had found the inmates cell mate in a comprimising position with the prison chaplin!. 

Denial is definately a pleasent thing!, at least thats what Athos decided as the kiss finally ended leaving both he and d'Artagnan breathless with their lips swollen and tingling from the kiss. 

"Whoa!" 

That was Porthos who spoke, saddly dragging Athos out of denial and back into guilty reality where he had to face the fact he had been taking advantage of a prisoner in his care!, a boy who was barely legal!, a boy who was exceptionally vulnerable and needed help and support not a damaged drunkard pawing at him like an overly eager dog!. 

"Don't!" that was d'Artagnan, the boy gently reached out and stroked his finger tips over Athos's still tingling lips "You didn't do anything wrong, don't blame yourself for things that didn't take place"

"But this did take place" Athos whispered horsely "And I was wrong to kiss you, to take advantage........."

"Hello!, I kissed you!, shoved you against the wall and kissed you!, you didn't force me into anything here!"

"Hate to say it but I gotta agree with the kid here" Porthos said with a grin "He chose t'kiss yer, you respondin' t'that is just human nature enit?" 

"I am a Prison officer!" Athos said straightening up and trying to avoid looking at d'Artagnan, at those oh so kissable lips!, "I have a duty of trust................!"

"Fuck trust!" d'Artagnan snorted grabbing Athos by his uniform jumper and pulling him into another deep kiss, this time he opened his mouth to stroke his tongue over Athos's lips, seeking access into the other man mouth which Athos granted without any resistance!.   
In spite of all his guilt tripping Athos fell back into an embrace with d'Artagnan, kissing him hungrily and letting his hands roam all over the boys slim body until his radio crackled making him and d'Artagnan spring apart startled by the sudden interuption. 

Athos took up his radio with shaking hands and cleared his throat "Delta Foxtrot receiving over"

"Can you come up to the Threes, we need to do cell spins while their at work over"

"Sure no problem" Athos said "Delta Foxtrot out", replacing his radio in his belt he gazed at d'Artagnan who was biting his lip and stole a glance at Aramis and Porthos   
"I guess we'll talk later" he said 

"Guess we will" Aramis replied 

"You ain't dobbin' 'Mis in, not after this" Porthos cried

"I don't think I'll be speaking to anyone about anything at all" Athos said shaking his head "I need to go", making his way to the door he looked back at d'Artagnan feeling a confusing blend of guilt and desire as he gazed into those impossible brown eyes, offering him a weak smile he left the cell to go and join Bernajoux on the Threes for the cell spins. 

 

"Well!" Porthos chuckled "That was interesting!" 

"I don't think interesting covers it" Aramis replied taking a seat on the lower bunk and let out a sigh of relief, he looked up as Porthos lay a hand on his shoulder and was met with a warm smile 

"Don' fret pet, he ain't gonna tell no one now, not after d'Art stuck 'is tongue down 'is throat!, nice work by the way!" he said looking over at d'Artagnan who was leaning back against the wall and self hugging "I owe yer one!"

"I didn't do it just for you" d'Artagnan whispered gazing at the floor "I did it because..........because.........."

"Because you wanted to" Aramis completed giving d'Artagnan a small smile as the boy looked up "Thats nothing to be ashamed of, there is no shame in love"

"I know!, I'm not homophobic or a virgin!" d'Artagnan said "I've been with men aswell as women, I'm not bothered by that"

"Then what's up?, is it cause he's a screw?" Porthos asked indelicately as ever! 

"I guess, and not because I blame him for that, but because this could get him into serious trouble and he is doing so much for me!" d'Artagnan sighed pulling out the plastic chair from the table and sat down upon it "I don't want him to get hurt by this"

"Charles you have not done anything wrong here" Aramis said slowly and firmly wanting the younger man to understand him completely "Had Athos wanted to he could have pushed you away, could have marched out of here and reported us all, HE chose not to, he chose to kiss you back, to hold you in his arms and take pleasure in you"

"He's right d'Art, don't beat yourself up about this" Porthos agreed getting a couple of cigarettes out of a pack and offering one to d'Art who eagerly took it

"You really like him don't you?" Aramis said getting a head nod from d'Artagnan "I think, if that display was anything to go by then he likes you too" 

"You think?" d'Artagnan asked briefly looking hopeful before shaking his head, "It's bollocksed though, what possible chance can we have to be together while I'm locked up in this shit hole!?", saddly he was right about this, a prison chaplin having an affair with an inmate was questionable enough, but with a screw?, the chances of the two of them having any kind of relationship were so slim they were anorexic.

 

Gascon neighbourhood 

 

Rochefort smirked as he surveyed the once pleasent crime free district. 

It was not quite the suburbs, but it was upscale from council estates and box like apartment blocks. 

Small but comfortable houses with nice sized gardens made up this comunitee. 

People here were comfortable enough to speak to each other with friendly smiles and shake hands, or kiss cheeks, cars drove under thirty mph, children played in the streets, riding bikes and kicking balls, it was a happy friendly place that anyone would want to raise a family. 

Or at least it use to be.

 

Since he had gotten rid of the d'Artagnans and bought the house under a psydonym Rochefort had been able to place his gang in the neighbourhood and have them giving a reign of terror upon the people who lived there. 

No longer were the children safe to play in the streets, not with moter bikes roaring up and down at seventy mph all day and night, drunks tossing bottles everywhere, junkies shooting up in the street corner after going to the gang to get their fix. 

Already there had been numerous house break ins and thefts, some from the junkies to fund their addictions, and some from Rochefort's gang, vandelism and graffiti were everywhere, and those who had tried to fight back, to put the gang in their place had soon been warned off, broken bones and hospital stays worked well to keep people quiet. 

 

As Rochefort had hoped the damage being done to the district had lowered the property prices considerably, and as the terror continued people would soon be selling up to escape, would accept Rochefort's pitiful offers on their houses and swiftly he would own the whole district. 

Once he did so a good sizable chunk of Paris would be in his pocket, he would be able demolish the houses and build cheap tenament blocks that he could fill with those desperate for acomodation and have his gang enforce that the rents were collected on time. But that was not his only scheme though, well it was not his end game at least, he planed not just to own another piece of Paris, he planed to become the Mayor of Paris to control the whole city. 

Between what he made from the brothels, drug running, and extortionate rents he would have more than enough to make a political career, and once he had been mayor he would become President and rule the whole of France.

 

"Survaying another peice of your empire?" 

Rochefort startled then smirked as Milady de Winter appeared by his side dressed to kill in a skin tight leather suit that hugged every curve of her body sinfully. 

"I assume business is going well?" she inquired 

"Perfect, I should be making the first purchases by next month" he replied "I believe a couple of house fires will be the final straw for these family oriented people"

"Hm, make sure your boys are careful to cover any prints in the accelerants and not to trail it back to their home, I can't cover up all forensic evidence" Milady advised 

"Who said anything about accelerants?" Rochefort replied "People are foolish enough to put too many appliances on one extension lead, and do not replace the batteries in their smoke alarm............." he left the rest unsaid and merely grinned coldly "I trust I shall have your endorsment when I run for mayor?" 

"Absalutely Mayor Rochefort, you shall make a far more powerful Mayor than Louis Bourborne, and I look forward to your victory celebration".


	15. Chapter 15

d'Artagnan was stirred from sleep by the sound of thumping on the cell window   
"What the bloody hell's that?" he groggily asked as Porthos shifted on the top bunk 

"Swinger" he replied opening the window and sticking his hand between the bars, rubbing his eyes d'Artagnan saw a rope made from torn sheets that was being swung from one of the cells above.   
"Got it!" he called up to the cell above tugging the swinger in to open it "Sweet!", a grin spread across Porthos's face as he revealed a small bottle of JD that had been well wrapped up inside the swinger to keep it from breaking, setting the bottle on his bed he went to his hiding place and pulled out a quarter of a gram of pot which he wrapped into the swinger along with two wraps of heroine, while he didn't use hard drugs himself or deal them, he knew that they made the best currency in prison and had swapped a pack of cigarettes for two wraps with which along with the weed he was using to buy the whiskey. 

"Take it up" he called up tugging on the swinger and watched as it was quickly pulled back up before the night watch came around 

"Fancy a cup?" he offered to d'Artagnan who hopped out of bed and got their plastic cups from the table and climbed up to join Porthos on his bunk, the two of them screwing their faces up as the night watchman flashed his torch against the window 

"I swear he does that just t'piss me off!" Porthos grunted pouring the whiskey into the cups then carefully hiding it away from prying screw eyes!

"You should have told me you were buying this, I'd have chipped in for the purchase" d'Artagnan said taking a sip of the whiskey and curled his legs up under him 

"Ah you're new to all this, if y'wanna pay me back jus' give us a couple o'smokes when I'm running low" Porthos replied with a shrug "And now you got a screw who's sweet on yer, y'can lemme know when the cells due for a spin"

"He isn't sweet on me!" d'Artagnan protested blushing in the darkness 

"Looked to be if that kiss was anything to go by!", d'Artagnan blushed all the more and smiled slightly as he recalled the touch of Athos's lips upon his own 

"Want me to give yer some space in 'ere from time to time?" 

"What!?"

Porthos let out a cackle at d'Artagnan's squark and patted his arm "Yer won't be the first Con to get laid in prison by a screw, nore the last, and at least he seems like less of a tosser than the rest of 'em"

"He'd loose his job if he got caught with me, maybe even go to prison himself" d'Artagnan said shaking his head and sipping more JD "I know what they do to screws in prison, I can't do that to him, it wouldn't be fair"

"It's 'is choice lad, you make him an offer he's got the choice to say no or accept, if he says no then let that be that, but if he says yes then it's his risk to take"

"Is that how you feel about Aramis?", Porthos grunted at d'Artagnan's question he didn't need to reply to him, they both knew he was as worried about Aramis's safety as d'Artagnan was about Athos's, but he loved the Vicar so much he couldn't help but give into his desires and hope that no one found out, at least no one who would do them harm. 

 

D'Artagnan was surprised the following morning when he and Porthos were trying to eat rubbery scrambled eggs and burnt toast when Athos came up to them and pulled d'Artagnan into the office to speak with him in private. 

After the events of the day before he had expected Athos to give him a wide birth so to find himself alone with the Prison Officer was a pleasent surprise, well pleasent until Athos told him of his plans. 

"I can not longer be your personal officer, our relationship is unhealthy and it can not continue" Athos said sounding like he was reading from a script, his face was drawn and grey, his eyes shadowed and blood shot from lack of sleep, clearly Athos had been up all night likely fretting over things and coming up with this god forsaken solution that he was now dropping on d'Artagnan. 

"I will make sure that you still see your Therapist and introduce you to Treville so you need not worry about that.........."

"Don't do this" d'Artagnan whispered feeling a traitorous burn in his eyes as tears began to fill them 

"I have to do this d'Artagnan, our relationship...........it's wrong very wrong" Athos said as firmly as he could, looking at the rapidly paling face and teary eyes he felt sick to his stomach knowing he was the one who was causing his pain "I would be taking advantage of you, abusing you"

"You're not! you've done nothing wrong!"

"I have" Athos said glancing out of the window to make sure no one else was watching before crossing the distance between them and taking d'Artagnan's hand "I should not have kissed you yesterday, I should have pushed you away and reported what happened, instead I kissed you and touched you, I abused my position of trust and took advantage of you"

"I wanted you to, I want you!" d'Artagnan cried clinging to Athos's hand with tears now falling freely down his cheeks "You're not forcing me into anything I don't want!, how is it wrong?"

"Because you are a prisoner under my care" Athos stated swallowing back his grief at the truth of this "If we were not in this shit hole, if I had met you under other circumstances than I would gladly act on these desires, but as we are now, we can not do this, I have to give up your care to another before things go any further and jeopodise either of us" 

d'Artagnan pulled away from Athos with a strangled sob that he stiffled on the back of his hand, he'd been so misarable for so long, had nothing to make him smile or bring him any joy that to now have Athos taking away the one joy he'd had in such a long desolate time felt like a knife thrust to his heart

"Please believe me, I do this for your own good not out of spite" Athos said gently reaching out to touch d'Artagnan's shoulder only to have him flinch away "I'm sorry that you are hurting but I am doing this to protect you"

"To protect yourself" d'Artagnan spat spinning round and shoving past Athos, he stormed from the office and ran to the cell where he threw himself down on the bunk sobbing into his pillow. 

Watching d'Artagnan go Athos sank down into a chair with a groan and ran a hand down his face as he tipped it back and gazed at the ceiling, why did doing the right thing have to make him feel like such a prick and make others so damn misrable?.

 

Seeing d'Artagnan running to their cell Porthos quickly shoved the inedible breakfast aside and followed after the boy sticking two fingers up to those who cat called after him!. 

Entering the cell he found d'Artagnan sobbing into his pillow with his whole body shaking at the force of his crying, "Oh lad what did he do?" Porthos asked sitting down on the bunk beside the younger man and rubbed his back in a soothing motion "Did he hurt you?, is he reporting you" Porthos did not dare ask about himself and Aramis, just the thought of it frightened him to his bones without speaking it out loud!

"He's leaving me" d'Artagnan whispered hiccuping "Says he can't be my personal officer, that we have to part!", his breath hitched and another sobbing fit began making him curl up into himself and clutch his pillow tighter "I wish I had died!, I wish I'd died with Papa!"

"No d'Art don't say that" Porthos protested 

"It's true, my lifes been nothing but shit since he died!, I should have died with him, It would be better if I had, then none of this would have happened!".

 

With a face like thunder Porthos exited the cell and marched back through the prison to the officers office, shoving Jussac aside he stormed into the office and without pause raised his fist hitting Athos squarely in the face sending the screw tumbling the ground clutching at his profusely bleeding nose!.   
Constance leaped up from her chair with a scream, dropping her coffee which spilled on the floor followed by the shattering cup!

"Thats for d'Art you worthless bastard!" Porthos bellowed lunging down onto Athos to strike another blow but he was grabbed from behind by Jussac and Cahusac, his arms twisted and pinned behind his back and was hauled off Athos 

"Get him down the block!" Jussac shouted 

"Fuck you!" Porthos roared struggling as the two screws forcefully carried him from the office, naturally the whole cantine descended into uproar at the spectical, the screws having to endure insults and duck as food was thrown at them 

"This ain't over screw!" Porthos snarled at Athos who'd been helped to his feet by Constance who was pressed a handkerchief to his bloody nose "This ain't over you fuckin' hear me!", Porthos let out a loud cry as Jussac kneed his ribs and Cahusac's fist connected with his kidneys 

"Shut if du Vallon or you'll be gettin' far worse!" Cahusac growled twisting Porthos's arm even more

"Shove it up your arse fuck face!" Porthos spat groaning as an fist to stomach left his winded and retching 

"Whats going on!?" d'Artagnan screamed running out of the cell and made to run to Porthos "Where are you taking him!?" he shouted grabbing hold of Cahusac only to be forcefully shoved away so hard that he fell to the floor 

"You stay down unless y'wanna join 'im!" Jussac snarled dragging Porthos away to the segregation block where he and Jussac unceramoniously threw him into the eight by six cell with it's bare bunk and open toilet and sink

"Fuckin' wankers!" Porthos spat blocking Cahusacs fist but got Jussacs boot to his stomach instead leaving him groaning on the floor 

"You keep your trap shut du Vallon or we'll have you in strips aswell as on seg" he threatened letting his spit fall down onto Porthos's cheek, nodding to Cahusac the two of them left Porthos and slammed the door behind them locking him in. 

 

d'Artagnan flinched as a hand touched his shoulder, looking up he pulled away as he saw Athos standing over him "You did this!" he accused uncarring for the blood on Athos's face and the rapid swelling and bruising coming out, "Porthos was right" he snarled at Athos "You are the same as the rest of 'em, just another bastard Screw!"

"d'Artagnan...."

"Fuck you Athos" d'Artagnan spat backing away from him swiping at his cheeks furiously "You stay the hell away from me you hear?, don't even come near me again".


	16. Chapter 16

d'Artagnan stuffed bars of chocolate, a bottle of coke mixed with JD, two packets of crisps, a paper back novel, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter into a bag, taking two minitures of vodka and a phone card he left the cell and ran up to the second floor and into the cell of the cons who were currently on servery duty.

"Ever hear of knockin'?" one of them asked his name Planchet who were serving time for ABH 

"No time" d'Artagnan said tossing the bag to the Con "You'll be taking Porthos's his dinner to him won't you?"

"Aye, so?"

"So you can take that bundle to him so he'll have something to make his time down there bearable" d'Artagnan explained 

"Could end up down the block ourselves for that" Planchet's cellmate, Gaspard said, he was doing time for fraud 

"I'll make it worth your while" d'Artagnan said handing over the phone card and vodka, the two men "That cover it?", the Cons looked at each other, Gaspard nodding his head and shrugging

"Cool he'll get it later" Planchet agreed cracking open the miniture "Shall we also give him your love?" he called out as d'Artagnan turned to leave and laughed dirtily at the two fingers d'Artagnan gave him!.

 

Athos winced as Constance placed an ice pack on his face but he wasn't wincing for the ache of his nose and head but for throb in his heart. 

He knew he'd done the right thing, or at least the legal thing but that didn't stop him from hurting from regreting his actions. The look of pure devestation upon d'Artagnan's haunted his thoughts as did the anger that had been in the boys voice when he had spat those last words at him. 

"What do I do?" Athos whispered quietly 

"I'm sorry?" Constance asked 

"Nothing" Athos murmured shaking his head and wincing again for the pain that shot through his head 

"Will you be pressing charges against Porthos?, I know he deserves it but this was completely out of character for him" Constance continued sitting down beside Athos with a cup of tea "Something must have set him off, upset him"

'Yeah me' Athos thought guiltily and rolled his eyes when he saw Rochefort approaching with Jussac "All I bloody need" he muttered pushing himself to his feet 

"Still in one piece then" Rochefort said eyeing Athos's bruised and swelling face 

"I'll live" he replied tersely, setting the ice pack down on the table he rose to his feet "I'll go and speak to Porthos" he said heading towards the door 

"You wanna speak t'that psycho gang banger?" Jussac cried "He just tried to bloody kill you?"

"I'm fine and Porthos is not a psycho or a gang banger" Athos sighed feeling his headache increasing "Now I'm going to speak to him unless you have any objections sir?", he turned to look at Rochefort who's cold eyes revealed nothing 

"Tell him he's got five days on seg, I take it you won't be pressing charges?"

"Hardly" Athos muttered turning and heading off to the segregation unit. 

 

Porthos was laying on his back on the bare matress, his body ached angrily from the beating but he'd suffered worse, his hands rested on his stomach and he cracked his bruised knuckles while staring at the ceiling.  
Like the walls it too had names and expletives written all over it, some in blood, some in marker pen, and some scratched in with finger nails, this wasn't the first time Porthos had been down the block and it probably wouldn't be the last either, however it didn't make it any easier to be staring at four walls with sod all to do but examin injuries from the bastard screws. 

God knows how long they'd keep him down here this time, or what else they'd do to him, Porthos could only hope that d'Artagnan would be alright on his own, it was unlikly anyone would try anything on him in Porthos's absence considering the kicking he'd given the Lemaitre brothers but that didn't mean that d'Artagnan wouldn't hurt himself, something that Porthos was terrified would happen considering his state of mind. 

Porthos looked up as he heard the cell door unlocking only to roll his eyes and sneer when Athos came in   
"Come to finish what yer mates started 'ave yer?" he spat "Well c'mon!, lets get the show on the road!"

"Can you just for once drop the hostility?" Athos asked 

"Gimme a reason not t'jus' finish the job I started on yer face!" Porthos shot back shifting and sitting up and leaning forward to rest his forearms on his legs 

"Will you please hear me out?" Athos pleaded raising his hands palm up in a gesture of peace but it had little effect on Porthos who continued to scowl at him

"Why d'you make d'Art trust you?, why give him reason to hope only to hurt him?" 

"I didn't intend to hurt him, I want to help him" Athos said quietly "But I have to give up being his personal officer, I have to get some space between us for the both our sakes"

"For your sake" Porthos sneered shaking his head "Typical screw all you ever think about........"

"Oh will you just shut up and listen for once!?" Athos snapped cutting Porthos off and for once shutting him up! "My relationship with d'Artagnan could have severe consequences on his appeal" Athos said in a quieter voice "If we, if I give into this and fall into a realtionship with d'Artagnan and we're discovered not only would I loose my job and end up in prison he would likely loose his chance at appeal, at getting out of here!" Athos ran his hand through his hair and shook his head "If I'd met him under any other circumstance I would not hesitate in getting into a relationship with d'Artagnan and when he gets out of this shit hole, when he is free, if he can forgive me then I will make the attempt at being with him"

Porthos pursed his lips and looked across the cell sighing deeply "This is bollocks" he muttered "Total bollocks"

"I know" Athos whispered crossing the cell and sitting down beside him "Thats why I'm quitting", Porthos shot him a sharp look and he shrugged "I'll stay until d'Arts free but then.........I can't do this crap anymore", Porthos nodded and sighed 

"Yeah, load of crap" Porthos said "Can't say I blame yer, wantin' t' get outa 'ere, shit I wanna get outa 'ere an at least you gotta choice in that", sighing he got to his feet and walked across the cell to lean against the wall "You shouldn't stop being his personal officer though, kids been through enough shit already without you dumpin' 'im on someone else" 

"How can I continue to be his personal officer when we..........."

"Control yourself, jus' don't jump 'im or anythin'!" Porthos exclaimed "Y'get frisky go an spend some time with yer left 'and in the bogs!", Athos gave an involuntary chuckle at this, a smile curving Porthos's lips aswell "Just please don't leave d'Art, he needs you even if it's just as a friend".

 

 

While he technically wasn't a screw Aramis had heard of what had happened to Porthos and was worried about him, but couldn't go to see him while he was on the seg unit so he went to see d'Artagnan instead to find out what had brought all this on.

d'Artagnan was sketching at the table when Aramis came into the cell, he was still on leave from work at the moment and the rest of the wing were at work so it was quiet   
"I was hoping I could talk to you" Aramis said coming in and closing the door to 

"S'pose you've heard whats happened?" d'Artagnan asked with a sigh 

"Not all the details", d'Artagnan sighed and rubbed his forehead as Aramis sat down at the table beside him 

"Athos broke up with me, not that we were really together, but he's not going to be my personal officer anymore, says he can't because of............what happened" d'Artagnan said, pursing his lips he tapped his nails on the table "I..........flipped out and ran back here crying, said something stupid to Porthos about how I had nothing to live for and he.......hit Athos and then the screws took him off down the block" 

"I see", Aramis sighed and reached out to take d'Artagnan's hand "You're not thinking of doing anything stupid are you?" he asked "Porthos wouldn't want that, I don't want that"

"Tempting" d'Artagnan whispered giving a humourless laugh "But no, no I wont, I promise" he tried to give Aramis a reasuring smile but it didn't reach his eyes and Aramis wasn't buying it 

"Things will get better for you Charles, you'll get your appeal and you'll get out of here"

"And then what?" d'Artagnan asked shaking his head "Papa's still dead, I still have no home, no money, no friends or family, even if I do get out of this shit hole I still have nothing and no one"

"That isn't true!"

"Yes it is!", d'Artagnan jumped up from the table crossing his arms and pacing the floor "I know you want to be my friend and I know Porthos is my friend but that doesn't change the fact I'll have nothing outside of here, no one to help me or.........to even care!, so what am I supposed to do?, how am I meant to piece my life back together when I have nothing left to even start with?" a single tear rolled down d'Artagnan's cheek and he sat down on the bunk gazing at Aramis "For a while I thought I had something to look forward to, a reason to hope but it was just a lie, all of it was a lie".


	17. Chapter 17

Athos had just come up from the segregation block when he was accosted by Aramis and dragged into one of the vacant cells. 

"Bloody hell!, this is harassment!" he cried rubbing his arm where Aramis had pinched it 

"And what would you call what you're doing to d'Artagnan?" Aramis threw back "The poor kids practically at his witts end because of you!, if he goes and tops himself it'll be on your conscience!"

"Oh Jesus!" Athos sank down onto the bunk with a deep sigh "Is there anyone who isn't going to give me shit today!?" 

"I'll give you more than shit if you don't stop pricking around and sort things out with d'Art right now!", Athos rose an eyebrow at Aramis a slight smirk curving his scarred lips

"Thats not very Godly" he commented "You're supposed to be a Vicar!"

"And you're meant to care about d'Artagnan"

"I do!" Athos snapped "Why the hell d'you think I'm breaking both our hearts here?, if I let things escalate then it's not just me who's screwed it's d'Artagnan aswell, they'd never grant him an appeal if he's caught having a fling with me!", this took the wind out of Aramis's sails and he sank down into the plastic chair that wobbled due to it's wonky leg

"Believe me Aramis I don't want to hurt d'Artagnan it's the last thing I want, but I can't be in a relationship with him until he's out of this shit hole" Athos pleaded with Aramis to understand imploring him to see that this wasn't just about him being afraid of getting caught but of d'Artagnan's well being, "When he is released, when he's out of here then I will be more than happy to have a relationship with him, but until then it's impossible"

Aramis nodded running a hand over his face "I understand, I get it I do" he said giving Athos a sympathetic smile "But you don't need to leave him, you surely be friends with him until he's out of here for good?"

"Yes and I intend to" Athos replied "Porthos has already given me a bollocking and you're both right, d'Artagnan deserves consistancy in his care and I will give him that" 

"Right, good, then get on down to him" Aramis said standing up and dusting himself off "Good luck".

 

d'Artagnan was laying on his bunk with his back to the door when Athos came in, he didn't notice the other man until Athos touched his back making him jump.

"What d'you want?, come to shit on my fucked up life a bit more have you?" he snapped 

"I came to say sorry" Athos said sitting down on the bunk besides d'Artagnan, the sight of the puffy eyes and tear streaks on his face making Athos's heart ache for the fact he'd caused this, "I won't stop being your personal officer, so long as you still want me to be?"

"What....but you said........?" d'Artagnan stammered scooting up the bunk into a sitting position 

"I know what I said and I was wrong, so if you still want me............." Athos was cut off as d'Artagnan all but threw himself into his arms kissing and hugging him maddly!

"I'll take that as a yes shall I?" Athos laughed pushing d'Artagnan away enough so he could breath 

"Yes, totaly yes!"

"Well good but your personal officer is all I can be" Athos said with as much firmness in his voice as he could manage when faced with d'Artagnan's pouting lips and puppy eyes   
"Theres too much risk to us both for me to be anything else"

"But Aramis and Porthos manage" d'Artagnan said letting his fingers creep up Athos's thigh, his eyes sparkling with mischief 

"Porthos isn't appealing" Athos said feeling his resistance slipped away like grains of sand from his fingers 

"Well nore am I yet" d'Artagnan said moving forward until he was sitting on Athos's lap "Surely we can take a chance until then?", Athos opened his mouth to protest but was kept from speaking as d'Artagnan captured his mouth in a long deep kiss, before he knew it he was reciprocating the kiss and was laying d'Artagnan down on the bunk to caress and kiss him all the more!

"Athos!, please, I need you!" d'Artagnan moaned as Athos kissed his throat 

"I'll be crucified for this!" Athos whispered his breath hitching as d'Artagnan's hands slipped inside his trousers and gripped his cock stroking it gently but firmly making lightning bolts burst through him, "God d'Art!, what you do to me!" he moaned thrusting his hips in time with d'Artagnan's wicked hand and skillful tongue that was licking at his neck with his teeth nipping the skin 

"Just enjoy" d'Artagnan whispered into his ear tugging on the lobe with his teeth while flicking the head of Athos's cock while squeezing just enough to make Athos whimper with delight, it had been so long since anyones hand but his own had been on him that he couldn't last long and was embaressingly soon spilling over d'Artagnan's hand and sagging over him breathing hard. 

D'Artagnan carefully pulled his hand out of Athos's pants and wiped it on a towel and laughed as Athos wrapped an arm about his waist to pull him back on the bunk "Keen now aren't we?" 

"Hmm you've bewitched me" Athos purred nuzzeling d'Artagnan's neck "And I believe I owe you" he whispered slipping his hand inside d'Artagnan's jeans to stroke his cock that was leaking precum, "Looks like I'm not the only one who's a bit keen!" he chuckled

"Been dying for this!" d'Artagnan groaned bucking into Athos's hand "I need you so much!" 

"You've got me body and soul" Athos said twisting his hand just slightly to get a better angle, before long d'Artagnan was cumming into his hand and shuddering against him with a stiffled cry into his shoulder.

 

While d'Artagnan lay back on the bunk Athos washed his hands shaking his head at the sated look on his face   
"I feel like I've just become ten years younger!" he snorted looking back at d'Artagnan with a smile "You're amazing"

"Even better when it's not just hands" d'Artagnan said with a grin 

"Don't I'm already counting the days until you're out of here!" Athos groaned shaking his head at the impossible boy laying on the bunk, d'Artagnan reached out and tugged Athos back down onto the bed and kissed him playfully 

"Tell me when I get out of this shit hole we'll have a much better bed to do it on"

"King size, with champagne, chocolates, whipped cream, strawberrys, the works!" Athos promised almost jumping a mile when the bell rung, "Hold onto that thought!" he said backing away from the bunk, he shook his head as d'Artagnan blew him a kiss wondering how the hell he'd get through the next few months!.

Down the block Porthos grinned as a bag of goodies was delivered with his dinner, a gift from d'Artagnan.   
"Thanks kid" he said ripping open a chocolate bar and biting into it "At least it won't be so dull down in here now!".

 

Two days later

 

Treville had called Athos demanding an emergency meeting between themselves and d'Artagnan forcing Athos to rush through a visit within twenty four hours in a private visiting room. 

"D'you think he's got good news?" d'Artagnan asked as Athos led him down to the visitors rooms 

"I don't know" Athos replied honestly, "He just rang me up and said he had to see us both urrgently, wouldn't say why or what was going on"

"D'you think it's bad then?" d'Artagnan asked nawing on his bottom lip and get a sharp look from Athos, "Okay you don't know, I'm sorry, but I...........I'm nervous" d'Artagnan said "I'm hoping so much for good news I don't know what I'll do if it's bad", Athos grunted having been worrying about the same thing, d'Artagnan's mental health was still hanging by a thead, if Treville had brought bad news then God only knew how he'd keep the boy from finishing what he'd tried to do all those weeks before.

 

Treville was already sat at the table in the visiting room with documents spread before him when Athos and d'Artagnan came in.

"Athos good to see you again" he greeted shaking the other mans hand "And you must be d'Artagnan" he said to the slim boy standing beside Athos 

"Yeah, umm thanks for doing this" d'Artagnan said shaking Treville's hand 

"My pleasure" Treville replied sitting back down while Athos and d'Artagnan sat down "Okay I've been going through the police reports and court record of your case and I have to say I am astonished that you were ever charged at all let alone sentenced for Manslaughter" he said to d'Artagnan shuffling through the paper work before him, "There is clearly error on the police investigation, specifically from the Detective in charge of the case, in fact I would go so far as to call it criminal neglegence considering Gordet's long history of violent crime!"  
d'Artagnan glanced at Athos with a frown, "Whoever investigated your case didn't do their work properly" Athos explained 

"Theres more to it than that" Treville said "Does the name Milady de Winter mean anything to either of you?"

"Milady de Winter?, no, nothing" Athos replied while d'Artagnan nodded 

"She was the cop in charge, the detective!" 

"Quite so" Treville agreed pulling out some photographs, "Ironically I was already looking into Milady de Winter for you Athos" he said with a slight up turn on his lips "She only appeared five years ago, seems to have no history, family, background or anything"

"Five years?" Athos whispered his heart jumping and a cold sweat beginning to form on the back of his neck 

"I took the liberty of continuing to follow up on her when I read her name on the file in connection with d'Artagnan, it took a while but I finally found her coming out of the police station and took these photos", he handed over a selection of photos to both d'Artagnan and Athos.

 

Athos's mouth went dry at the sight of the woman on the photo, she was older, had lost weight making her face more angular, her shoulder length chestnut curls were now sleek jet black tresses but it was her, there was no doubting it in the slightest.

"Anne" he whispered thickly "It's Anne".


	18. Chapter 18

Athos sagged back in his chair gazing at the picture of his ex-wife, he felt like he'd seen a ghost, a ghastly spector of the past come back to haunt him.   
"You know her?" d'Artagnan asked his voice cutting through the fog that seemed to have weaved itself about Athos's brain, "You called her Anne, you must be mistaken, thats Milady de Winter, the Inspector in charge of my case", Athos's stomach churned in his belly and he gazed at d'Artagnan sickly, what damage had Anne caused since leaving him?, how many lives had she destroyed?, how many innocents like d'Artagnan were suffering because of her?.

"I believe my dear d'Artagnan" Treville laying the photos down on the table "That Milady de Winter and Anne de la Fere are one and the same".

 

D'Artagnan's eyes widdened and he gazed at Athos in shock mingled with horror, "This is your wife?" he asked hardly able to believe it  
"Sadly yes" Athos breathed forcing down the bile that was burning his throat "Dear God what has she done?"

"Reinveteded herself it seems" Treville said "She's managed to produce some very convincing fake documents, a birth cirtificate and Police files to back up her story and her rank as a detective Inspector, she has been handling a great deal of gang related crimes including d'Artagnan's case"

"Gang?, it wasn't a gang crime" d'Artagnan said 

"Actually it was" Treville said with a sorry smile "Gordet was a member of one of the most powerful gangs in the city, The Red Guard", Athos snorted and shook his head 

"I've heard of them, seen their Logo in graffiti"

"Indeed, they've been growing in power and crimes that were obviously commited by their members have been either left unsolved or blamed upon others like poor d'Artagnan here" Treville said "I think it likely that Milady, or Anne is affiliated with the gang and the gang leader who is unknown"

"Unknown?" d'Artagnan repeated 

"He's known only as The Comte" Treville said with a snort "His family probably descends from Nobility" 

"Oh that makes it easy to find him, half of France can make that claim!" Athos drawled not mentioning that he himself could also make that boast and the papers to prove it, while his family had lost their land and title during the revolution they had never forgotten that noble blood flowed in their veins

"That matters not" Treville said cutting to the chase as it were "The fact that Milady is a known criminal, has been lying about her identity will cause all the investigations she's been part of to be called into question and re-examined including yours d'Artagnan"

"So my appeal will be successful?", d'Artagnan's eyes shone in joy at this 

"Considering the evidence, the fact you have no criminal record, that Gordet was a known criminal with a very violent past, and Milady is herself a criminal and likely in league with this gang, I do not see a court and judge having any choice but to have you acquitted".

 

d'Artagnan sagged back in his chair, he felt like he'd been punched in the stomach and given the most wonderful gift all at once!, an appeal might yet take months to come through but as Treville said there was no way the courts would not acquite him with all this evidence, he could be free in a matter of months, and then he and Athos.............., his thoughts trailed off as he looked to the pale shaking man beside him, gently he took Athos's hand and squeezed it 

"Are you alright?" he asked 

"Me?, it is you that has suffered because of her" Athos said "You and God knows how many others"

"Thats not your fault my love!" d'Artagnan cried going to his knees and taking hold of both Athos's hands gazing up at him with desperate love in his eyes "Please do not blame yourself for her actions, you have done nothing wrong, it is she who is to blame not you"

Athos smiled sadly at d'Artagnan, freeing a hand to cup d'Artagnan's cheek running his thumb over the downy skin where hardly any stubble grew reminding him of just how young d'Artagnan was, "You are such an innocent Mon Petit" he breathed "A pure heart in a cold and heartless world"

"And you are a good man" d'Artagnan persisted cupping Athos's hand on his cheek "You have given me hope again, a reason to live on without my Papa, no one else could do that for me"

Treville cleared his throat reminding the couple that they were not alone and that they were technically breaking the law!   
"I can see myself out" he said with a smile and rose from the table "I advise that you seek out a lawyer as soon as possible d'Artagnan and get the ball rolling, Athos, I will need you to confirm Milady's identity when I place this evidence before the police"

"I'll be there" Athos said "Is tomorrow morning alright?, I have the morning off"

"Nine am, we'll go in and present all the evidence, from there the Internal Affairs devision will investigate all her cases and she will be arrested and charged by another precinct to avoid the change of clinflict of interest, likely she'll be arrested and taken to the nearest available Police station which will be in Meung, there she'll be held on remand until her trial"  
"This time she'll get life considering the number of charges against her" Athos mused "Hopefully she'll be tried and sentenced by Richelieu"

"That'd be fitting!" d'Artagnan giggled rising back to his feet "But where do I get a lawyer?, I was on Legal aid, I had to sell everything for the bail cost, I can't afford a good lawyer!"

"I'll give mine a call" Athos said with a wave of his hand "Monsieur Henri Beauvoisin, he'll love to get his teeth into a case like this, he'll probably suggest you sue for wrongful inprisonment Police misconduct, you could get thousands in compensation"

"D'you think I should?" d'Artagnan asked with a frown 

"After all you've been through?" Athos said raising his eyebrows "Loosing you home, having your character besmirched, the physical abuse you've suffered while inprisoned, the psychological trauma you've endured, yes you deserve compensation, and a bloody big pay out at that!"   
"Well first things first" Treville said finishing packing up his files "I'll see you tomorrow morning Athos".

 

When they got back to the cell d'Artagnan threw his arms about Athos and hugged him tight "This is the best day of my life!" he declared kissing Athos excitedly 

"The best?" Athos inquired with a wry smile as he held d'Artagnan's narrow waist 

"So far, a better day will be when I'm free and we can go to bed together at last!", Athos closed his eyes and groaned at the thought, all it easily imagining laying d'Artagnan down on his bed, spreading those long brown thighs, laying between them and taking pleasure in the boys nubile body

"We could always............" d'Artagnan trailed off and gestured to the bunk but Athos shook his head and moved away 

"Not now we know you can be freed" he said forcing himself to fight down his rising ardor no matter how tempting d'Artagnan was "We must both be patient my love"

"Patience sucks!" d'Artagnan said with a pout! 

"But absence makes the heart grow fonder!" Athos countered reaching out and stroking d'Artagnan's cheek "It will be worth the wait in the end I promise"

"Indeed?" d'Artagnan asked raising an eyebrow "I'll hold you to that Monsieur, and know this, I am not easily satisified and you will have alot to prove!"

"Will I now?" Athos inquired with a growing smirk "Well I look forward to laying you to utter ruin upon my bed and having you begging for my mercy!".

 

Police Precinct

 

The over weight, slow moving, desk bound Police Sergeant did not exactly full one with confidence as he slowly got up from his desk, reluctantly setting down a pastry to go to the front desk and see to Athos and Treville. 

"What can I do for you both?" he asked 

"You can call Detective Chief Inspector de Foix for me" Treville said with a blank expression "Tell him Jean-Armand de Treville is here and has very serious information for him", de Foix was an old friend of Treville's, they had served together for many years before Treville had retired and become a PI, when he got the call from reception that Treville was there with information he hurried on down to see him. 

"Jean!" he greeted clasping Treville by the shoulders and kissing his cheeks

"Dominic, good to see you" Treville replied kissing him back "I wish it was under better circumstances", de Foix glanced at Athos over Treville's shoulder and the thick manilla folder Treville was carrying 

"Come through, we'll go to my office to speak in private".

 

An hour later de Foix was slumped back in his chair with a face as white a flour, he looked sickened and gob smacked by the evidence that Athos and Treville had presented to him in reguards to Milady de Winter AKA Anne de la Fere, AKA Charlotte Backson. 

With the pictures Treville had taken of her being joined by the wedding photo of her and Athos's wedding day plus her photo as Charlotte Backson there was no denying the identity of the Inspector. 

"Jesus Christ" de Foix whispered crossing himself "The twisted bitch!"

"God only knows how far this goes Dominic" Treville said "Her documents were damn good, she was expertly hidden for many years, and convincingly played the part of a police officer"

"By planting and twisting evidence, getting false convictions and freeing the guilty!" de Foix spat slamming his fist on the desk so hard it rattled the desktop!, "IA will have to be involved God bloody help us, they'll rip this place apart and wont let any of us so much as fart in privacy for months!"

"Keep upwind of them then!, it might make them leave quicker!" Athos quipped unexpectedly finding some humor, de Foix snorted and picked up his phone and pressed speed dial for the front desk 

"Monier?, call Blanchard and Yves to my office now" he barked, setting down the receiver he opened the desk draw and pulled out a bottle of scotch and nodded to the glasses on the top of a filing cabinate 

"None for me thank you" Athos declined "Recovering Alcoholic, I've been dry now for several days"

"You don't mind if we indulge?" de Foix checked while Treville rose an eyebrow at Athos's statement 

"Not at all".

 

Outside the office Milady had just come in from removing evidence from the evidence lockers that would have put one of Rochefort's men away for life, her sharp green eyes saw Athos sitting in de Foix's office along with another man she did not recognize, she had not got where she was without having quick witts and knew better than to take any chances with her safety. 

Keeping her expression calm and serene she carefully picked up her shoulder bag and turned on her heel heading for the car park, as soon as she was out of sight she broke into a run and hurried down the stairs and out of the back of the station, she wasted no time in getting to her car, not even bothering with the seat belt she started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot almost hitting another car as she went!.

 

"You asked for us Sir?" Blanchard asked as he and his partner entered de Foix's office 

"Indeed, you two shall acompany me in a very unpleasent duty" de Foix said with a sigh "We have to arrest Milady de Winter who has been impersonating and posing as a Police Officer, she is in fact Anne de la Fere a fugitive from justice and wanted for multipul offences"

Both detectives look utterly shocked by this news and gaped at de Foix, silently they followed behind him with Treville and Athos trailing after them towards Milady's desk which was of course abandoned   
"Clerbeaux where is de Winter?" de Foix snapped looking to another detectives desk 

"She just left Sir, seemed in a hurry" she replied "Is there a problem?"

"Damnit!" de Foix cursed "Get on the phone, call the front desk and tell them not to let her leave, and if she has to put out an immediate search for her!, she is under arrest!"

"What!"

Clerbeaux's cry of shock followed the men as they ran out of the office and followed Milady's steps, going down to the car park to find her car already gone  
"She can't get far" de Foix said 

"She did last time" Athos muttered feeling like he'd just had his heart ripped out again "She's a master at this now, finding her will be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack the size of the whole city".

 

Dumping her car swiftly since the plates would soon be run Milady tied a scarf about her head and doned a pair of alrge sun glasses to help hide her face as she took to the streets on foot, having copied Rochefort's mobile number she had also destroyed her phone since it could all to easily be GPS tracked and had made sure to destroy the Sim too so he could not be traced from it she headed to a phone box and slotted in several coins dialling Rochefort's number.

"Rochefort" 

"It's Milady, we have a problem".


	19. Chapter 19

Bastille Prison

d'Artagnan was was doing his stretching exercises given to him by Dr Lemay to help his back so the skin wouldn't heal too tight.

He lowered his arms from above his head and frowned as Athos came in wearing a tired and sorrowful expression. 

"What is it?" he asked immediately concerned "Whats happened?, have the Police arrested Milady?, did something go wrong?"

"Oh something went wrong alright" Athos sighed pinching the bridge of his nose and groaned "I've let you down again" he whispered his voice becoming higher pitched and tears pricking at his eyes "I should never have got you involved never have............" his voice faded as his tears began to fall even as he fought against them, covering his mouth with his hand

"Hey!, hey it's alright, whatever it is it'll be alright" d'Artagnan said wrapped his arms about Athos's shoulders and guiding him to the bed, Athos sagged against d'Artagnan resting his head against the younger mans shoulder as he wept brokenly, all the emotion he had been locking up for the past five years was draining out of him as he clung to d'Artagnan as a child would to his Mother.

Gently and without judgement d'Artagnan rubbed his back and kissed his head offer comfort to Athos as his pain and grief poured out of him. 

 

Fifteen minutes must have gone by before Athos's tears dried and he was able to sit up and wipe his face.   
d'Artagnan climbed up onto the top bunk and dug into his and Porthos's hiding place retrieving a couple of minatures one of which he opened and handed to Athos while taking the other for himself, "Get that down your neck, you look like you need it!" he said sipping his own 

"Don't I just" Athos whispered blowing his nose "God I'm sorry" he sighed "I've messed up yet again"

"How?" d'Artagnan asked shaking his head not understanding what Athos was getting at "Whats happened?, was this detective not Anne?"

"It was her alright" Athos said with a mirthless snort "God knows it was her, and once again she's escaped".

 

"Shit" d'Artagnan sighed leaning his head back against the bar of the bunk bed "Bitch!"

"I'm sorry" Athos said sipping his scotch "I shouldn't have gotten you involved in all this shit"

"This isn't your fault" d'Artagnan said sitting up and placing his hand on his knee and gave it a squeeze "What are the cops doing?, are they looking for her?"

"Of course" Athos said "It'll be all over the news by tonight too, fake police detective on the run for Murder among other charges!" he shook his head "On a brighter note all her cases will be reopened and reinvestiagted, including yours" he offered d'Artagnan a small smile "You're practically guaranteed to get out of here"   
"Then why all this......blaming yourself?, you've done nothing wrong, it's the cops that have screwed up not you, and even though she's on the run things will work out, surely she won't be able to escape for long this time"

"I hope so" Athos said rubbing his face tiredly and draining the minature "We'll get started on your appeal tomorrow morning, get the ball rolling, with all the media storm and with her as the investigating officer you'll likely get a result very quickly", d'Artagnan smiled and snuggled closer to Athos 

"So you can me could be doing much more than just sitting on a bed soon then?" he asked with an impish grin on his face eliciting a smirk from Athos and he leaned closer to pur into d'Artagnan's ear

"The night you're free we'll go to the Trianon Palace in Versaille, book into the best room and order room service complete with champagne", d'Artagnan moaned his eyes closing as he pictured the romantic setting, "We'll put a do not disturb sign on the door and not leave for a whole week!, nore put on any clothes!"

"Tell me more!" d'Artagnan breathed moving closer to Athos "Tell me how you'll throw me down on the bed, rip all my clothes off and fuck me into oblivion!", Athos chuckled and began to run his fingers up and down d'Artagnan's thigh making the boy whine in need as his breath hitched 

"I'll not rip your clothes off, I'll strip them from you very slowly, kissing you from head to foot, and and stroking every inch of your skin!" 

"Every inch?" d'Artagnan asked 

"Head to toe" Athos afirmed "Then I'll kiss my way up the inside of your leg, all the way from your ankle to the tops of your thigh..........", Athos's radio crackled to life with Constance calling for him to join her on reception

"Saved by the bell!" d'Artagnan sighed tugging on his uncomfortable trouser where his cock was pressing against the material 

"To be continued?" Athos asked giving d'Artagnan a brief kiss, or at least that was what he was intending to do, however instead of that he was pulled into a deep and lasting kiss by d'Artagnan who gave him a grin 

"You can count on this being continued" he said smirking all the more as Athos groaned at the suspicious bulge in his trousers and gave him a scowl for getting him so turned on!, laughing to himself d'Artagnan lay back on the bed for once happy with his life.

 

Monmatre

 

Rochefort pulled his car up into the alley and climbed out, checking there was no one round he locked the doors and walked to one of the warehouses and rapped his knuckles on the damp rotted wooden door   
"Who is it?" a female voice asked from the other side

"Who d'you damn well think you silly bitch!" Rochefort drawled "Open the door", a rattling sound followed as a bolt was pulled back and Milady opened the door stepping back so Rochefor could enter the warehouse where she was hiding out.

"Well?" she asked as he came inside, locking the door again 

"Well I've got you a wig and a change of clothes, plus some cash to keep you going" Rochefort said handing over the bag he had carried from the car, inside was a strawberry blonde wig along with fresh clothes and about a thousand Euro in notes  
"Book yourself into a hotel, some place better than this!" he snorted looking round the rat infested warehouse 

"Thank you" Milady replied gratefully, it bit at her pride to be thanking Rochefort, to be beholden to him at all but at present she had no choice in the matter, she could reinvent herself again, a new name and indentity but it would take time, she'd need to die her hair and cut it into a new style, perhaps some surgery too, alter her appearance so she would not be so easily noticed. 

"You need to lay low" Rochefort said "Keep yourself hidden as much as you can, have you thought of a new name yet?"

"Not yet" Milady said "I'll let you know when I do, have you got the phone I asked for?", from his pocket Rochefort pulled out a pay as you go mobile and handed it to her

"Theres twenty euro in credit on there" he said "And my numbers in contacts"

"Well If there's anything I can do to repay you?", Milady felt her skin crawl as Rochefort smiled darkly at her the shadows in the warehouse making it look all the more sadistic

"Well once you get yourself settled into the hotel you can employ your skill with computers and find out what the Police are doing so we can counter move them" 

"My security will have already been revoked" Milady said "I'll have to hack in"

"Surely not a problem for a woman of your skills" Rochefort said with smirk "I'll expect news by tomorrow evening", Milady gave him a wolfish smile and rolled her eyes as Rochefort made his way back to door, by tomorrow evening!, so on top of everything else she was going to have to buy a lap top!, all she damn well needed!. 

Following Rochefort to the door she shut and locked it behind him and set about changing into her clothes and fitting the wig to her head, adding a scarf made it look more realistic as real hair and a pair of light brown sunglasses on her face worked to give further disguise.

Leaving her old clothes behind Milady pocketed the money and set off to the streets hailing the first cab she could find and having the driver to take her to the closest shopping center where she bought herself a lap top at an electronics store before going to a chemist where she bought herself some hair dye, a pair of sharp sissors, some decent fake tan and make up that would suit her new look.   
Finally she went to a cheap clothing store, wrinkling her nose at the cheap clothing she purchased a few pieces, enough to get her buy and left the mall to hail another cab to take her to a hotel where she booked herself in under the name of Lydia Medwinter and ordered room service, the first meal she had had in hours, then treated herself to a very long hot shower before she cut her hair into a sharp chin length bob and dyed it to a similar colour as the wig. 

Laying face down on the bed with a glass of wine in her hand Milady fired up the lap top and set it up, connecting to the internet to begin the long proceedur of hacking into the prison system so she could see what Internal Affairs had found so far and what the rest of the Police were doing about her case, and all the cases she had worked on.

 

Bastille

 

It did not come as a surprise to Athos that d'Artagnan was not the only convict in the Bastille who's case had been investigated by Milady de Winter, and sure enough by that evening as the news came on and her case was reported as one of the main events in the news reports nearly half a dozen inmates were cat calling and declaring that they had been collared by her.

What did come as a surprise was that Porthos too had been investigated by her, a discovery that was made by d'Artagnan when he wheedled the oportunity to visit his friend by offering to take his dinner down to him (With another pack of cigarettes) and told him the news.

"This is great!, you can appeal too, you'll likely get out of this shit hole!" he declared his eyes shining brightly through the letter box like opening in the cell door 

"I need a lawyer to appeal pup" Porthos said "But if they're lookin' into the case again then I'll have luck with the parole board"

"Why not talk to Aramis about arranging a lawyer?" d'Artagnan asked "I'll bet he can sort something for you"

"Maybe" Porthos said pursing his lips "Cheers for the smokes anyway, and the rest of the gear"

"No problem" d'Artagnan said sticking his hand through to squeeze Porthos's "You're out of here tomorrow aren't you?"

"Aye, be back for breakfast"

"Get a move on d'Artagnan!" Jussac barked "We haven't got all night!"

"Yeah alright keep your tits on!" d'Artagnan sighed rolling his eyes 

"See you in the morning Pup" Porthos said with a grin "Take it easy"

"You too" d'Artagnan said closing the opening and joining Jussac to go back on the wing with a bounce in a step and a smile on his face happy to know that he brightened Porthos's day and given him some hope aswell.


	20. Chapter 20

Aramis was course more than willing to support Porthos's appeal, he immediately began to discuss the capagain stratergy with him, planning to the get the Church involved so long as he had the Bishops permission to do so, which considering the fact the press had already gotten hold of the story about Miladycreating a shit storm, it was not likely to be difficult to get the Churches support when it came to freeing those who were wrongfully imprisioned, even more so since d'Artagnan and Porthos were both Church goers too, that would look in their favour.

 

This was the bright side of the coin, the down side was that Porthos was now going to have to seriously curb his relationship with Aramis as d'Artagnan was with Athos. 

While neither of them were guilty of the crimes they were serving time for, to be having relationships that were strictly forbidden would not help their appeals, and since getting out of Prison so they could be with their lovers without having to be in secret both of them begrudgingly agreed to do so hoping that their appeal dates would come round very soon. 

 

"Think we'll be out by Christmas?" d'Artagnan asked swinging his long legs and making the bunk wobble with the motion 

"Hope so" Porthos replied bending forward and spitting into the sink as he finished flossing his teeth (A good habbit that Aramis had drummed into him) "Christmas dinner in this dump is worse than shit!", making his way over the bunk he tapped d'Artagnan's thigh so he rolled over allowed Porthos to climb upon the bunk and join him  
"Dry Turkey, soggy stuffing, hard roast potatoes, and don't even get me started on the veg!"

"And the Christmas pudding?" 

"Well you'd be lucky if all you broke a tooth on the was the coin in the middle of the pudding!" 

"Oh God!" d'Artagnan murmured burying his face into the matress making Porthos laugh and tussel his hair 

"Just keep your hopes up on us getting the hell out of here soon than Christmas" he said "Then you can enjoy having Athos fill your stocking!", by the lowering of his voice and the wiggling of his eyebrows there was no mistaking that statement for what it was and d'Artagnan grinned despite blushing and pulled out his pack of cigarettes offering one to Porthos and lighting up a cigarette for himself. 

"Athos says we might be intitled to a payment for false imprisonment and defermation of character" 

"You maybe" Porthos grunted "I was a thief, my character was in question anyway"

"But you weren't an armed robber" d'Artagnan said taking a drag "You should get payment for false imprisonment anyway"

"Won't hold me breath" Porthos said laying flat on his back and blew a smoke ring to the ceiling "It'll be costin' the state a fortune for retrials, and investigations without giving payouts for those who were wrongfully convicted, I would be greatly surprised if we got a red cent from anyone", d'Artagnan twisted his lips and nodded his head, rolling over he scooted across the matress to rest his back against the wall his knees up to his chest. 

"I was gonna be a vet you know?" he said to Porthos "I was gonna go to University and everything, don't s'pose I will now even if I do getout of here, with no money and no home I won't be able to afford such a lengthy education"

Porthos looked up with a contemplaitive look on his face, "A vet huh?"

"I love animals, cats, dogs, Horses, especially horses" d'Artagnan said with a whistful smile "Papa paid for me to have riding lessons when I was a boy, I used to help lesson the costs by working at the stables on weekends", he smiled brighter with the memory "I loved it, spending time with horses, from grooming to mucking them out, taking them out on the corall, all of it"

"I've never been ridin'" Porthos said "Always wondered what it was like"

"Amazing" d'Artagnan replied with a bright smile turning his head to he was looking at Porthos "Incredible to ride through the open country, wind in your hair, the power of the horse move beneath you, it's like nothing else in the world"

"Sounds like fun" the larger man said stubbing out his cigarette "Ah fuck it!, we'll sell our stories to the bloody papers and make a mint!, you go and do your studying and I'll.........open a bar and spend my days drinking myself stupid and watchin' the games on the box!" 

"Nice plan!" d'Artagnan chuckled moving again so he was flopped out on the bed besides Porthos the two of them gazing at the ceiling "We might become famous!, have our own followers on Twitter and Snapchat!"

"We'll become international superstars!" Porthos snorted "Have our own shitty talk show, or fashion show!"

"A talk and fashion show!" d'Artagnan laughed "We can be completely politically incorrect, have all the flavour of the month Celebs on the show to talk with us, do stupid stunts like using ice cream for shampoo and eating raw squid!" Porthos made a disgusted face at this before shrugging 

"Can't be much worse than five day old pizza from a rain soaked box!", d'Artagnan shot him a shocked look that Porthos managed to maintain his composure over for a few seconds then burst into laughter followed moments later by d'Artagnan!.

 

Athos sighed and rolled his eyes as he slouched low in his chair in the office, he and the others being addressed by Rochefort who frankly looked like shit!.   
The man clearly hadn't been sleeping if the heavy bags under his eyes were anything to go by along with his blood shot eyes and the stubble on his face.   
His clothing was rumpled and untidy, and his hands were shaking showing that he was very over caffinated a classic sign of a man trying to make up for a lack of sleep with too much coffee. 

"As I'm sure you've all heard about the recent developements in the Police force" Rochefort said "Naturally it is causing ripples through out the whole law system and every investigation that Detective Milady de Winter was a part of will have to be looked into"

"No shit Sherlock!" Constance muttered under breath making Athos snort slightly   
"This is going to cause problems with us since the Cons will now be jumping on appeal bandwagons to claim wrongful conviction" Rochefort said "I don't want any of them being treated differently or believed to be anything but guilty as their conviction stated"

"What?, but what if they are innocent?" Athos said sitting up "d'Artagnan for one does not belong in here, he is completely innocent", Jussac exploded into laughter at this gazing at Athos in open amusment 

"What?, he shot that guy by mistake did he?" 

"It was self defence you brain dead............."

"I think anyone whos case was handled by this Milady should be given some benefit of the doubt" Constance put in to cut Athos off before he began a fight with Jussac

"We can not give preferential treatment" Rochefort stated firmly "In time those who appeal maybe be released from prison, but while here they are to be treated like all the rest"

"Like shit then" Athos grunted giving Rochefort a dirty look which was returned in kind

"Well thats it" Rochefort said "Lets unlock"

"Thank Christ for that!" Athos groaned getting to his feet and swiftly escaping the office with Constance right behind him both of them happy to get away from Rochefort.

 

Saint Germain 

 

Milady answered her mobile on the first ring and swallowed the mouthful of scrambled eggs she had ordered for dinner,   
"Rochefort" she said knowing it was him since no one else had this number  
"What have you discovered?"  
"The Police are investigating as we knew they would, one of their first moves is going to be interviewing those who's cases I was involved in" Milady replied "You have two convicts in your prison relating to my involvment, Charles d'Artagnan, and Porthos du Vallon"

"That gang banging street trash and the murdering brat" Rochefort spat "Fine, I'll take care of them"

"How?" Milady asked with a frown 

"Well the Police can't interview them or use them as material wittnesses if they're dead", the line went dead following this sentence and Milady rolled her eyes and put her phone down to turn back to her breakfast and started flicking through the TV channels to see if she could find something worth watching. 

Bastille

After he ended the phone call Rochefort buzzed his secetary and got her to send a message out to Jussac to bring Lebarge up to his office. 

The huge lug slumped into the chair before Rochefort's desk and sneered at him contemptuously "What?" he grunted

"How would you like parole?" Rochefort replied tapping his finger on the desk 

"I'm a lifer I ain't gettin' no parole!"   
"You will if I arrange it" Rochefort replied with an icey smile "However you need to do something for me first" 

"What?" Lebarge growled leaning forward 

"Kill Porthos du Vallon and Charles d'Artagnan".


	21. Chapter 21

Bastille

Athos had felt that something was wrong even before the fight broke out amongst several inmates, it wasn't the fight that unnerved him that was a normal experiance in prison, it was just that it felt staged, too loud and too obvious, to clearly designed to draw attention and distract the screws, which was exactly what it did as everyone rushed to start breaking up the fight and keep the other inmates under control.

Out of the corner of his eye as he secured one of the fighting men Athos saw d'Artagnan and Porthos heading to their cell so they wouldn't get caught up in the fighting but he did not see Lebarge slipping out of the shadows and following after them, a shank in his hand and a gleeful look on his scarred face.

He had of coursed arranged this fight, threatened the inmates into starting a loud and large fight to distract the screws so he could act without being seen by them, snickering as he watched the screws immediately running to the fight or dithering around with their radios he followed after Porthos and d'Artagnan his shank at the ready and his heartbeat quickening with blood lust as he anticipated his kill.

 

"Best keep out the way of that lot" Porthos said as he and d'Artagnan went into their cell "Get caught up in it and we'll be down the block for a week or more"

"What d'you think the fights over?" d'Artagnan asked folding his arms and shifting his weight onto one hip 

"Fucked I if I know, probably drugs or some such crap, ain't worth worryin' 'bout it Whelp", d'Artagnan sighed and rolled his eyes 

"How long will you call me Whelp or Pup?" 

"For as long as it amuses me!".

 

d'Artagnan laughed shaking his head and began to move away from the door, however as he did so the door was suddenly kicked open slamming into the back of d'Artagnan's head with a sickening crack sending him sprawling across the floor moaning with pain and dizziness!.

"Hey!" Porthos yelled his eyes widdening in fear as Lebarge came in a dangerous smile on his face 

"I'm gonna enjoy this!" he growled baring his teeth to Porthos. 

Lebarge lunged forward moving surprisingly fast for such a big man and sank the shank into Porthos's upper left shoulder making him yelp as he tried to defend himself against the brute but was forced back against the cell wall with Lebarges fist smashing his nose and the shank sinking into his side, it was only because it hit his ribs that it did not do more damage but it was painful and with Lebarge's knee hitting his belly Porthos was too pained and winded to keep fighting.   
Laughing with deranged enjoyment Lebarge gleefully raised the shank to sink it into Porthos's neck or upper chest but at that moment d'Artagnan leaped up off the floor and threw himself upon the brutes back to pull him off Porthos with a cry!. 

Lebarge roared in anger staggering backwards and banging into the bunks making d'Artagnan howl as his healing wounds were jarred, slipping from Lebarges back he fell to all fours which left him vulnerable to Lebarge who immediately set upon him kicking him in the ribs and bringing his elbows down onto d'Artagnan's back leaving him sprawling in agony, which only increased as Lebarge wrapped his meaty fist about the back of d'Artagnan's neck as if he were dog and stabbed him twice with the shank!. 

"No!" Porthos yelled regaining his strength and lunged at Lebarge, he punched him in the side and kicked him in the back of the knees making Lebarge fall onto one knee, he slashed at Porthos with the bloody shank tearing open a long cut across his belly which thankfully remained shallow, Porthos grabbed his wrist trying to get the shank off him and found himself being hurled back across the room by Lebarge's immense strength, the huge thug on him punching him in the gut and slamming his wrist into the wall to make him let go of Lebarge's, letting out a gleeful cry Lebarge raised the shank in triumph but at that moment Athos walked in. 

 

Having got most of the inmates under control Athos had decided to go and check on Porthos and d'Artagnan and found Lebarge about to slash Porthos's throat with d'Artagnan on the floor spitting blood from where his lung had been punctured!. 

"Jesus Christ, Help, I need help in here!" Athos bellowed lunging at Lebarge forcing the huge man into the oposite wall and shaking the shank from his hand as his elbow struck the brick work "C'mon where the fuck are you all?" he roared struggling with the monsterous man only to be thrust back and back handed so he fell against the wall with a pained groan, dizziness asailing him leaving him unprotected as Lebarge set upon him kicking and punching him as if he were a punching bag!. 

"Athos!" d'Artagnan chocked out lurching foward to try and help him 

"Help!, fucking help us!" Porthos yelled slamming his hand onto the cell buzzer and lunging for Lebarge to bring him off Athos who was already a bloody mess, his nose broken, cheeks split, several teeth knocked out and God only knows what else!, grunting in effort Porthos forced Lebarge back and kneed him in the belly winding him enough to bring him to his knees and smashing both his fists into the back of Lebarge's head knocking stunning the brute enough to stop him from fighting back. At this point Constance came into the cell her eyes widdening in shock 

"Lebarge...........attack..........help" Athos chocked out panting with the effort, Constance fumbled with the radio calling for help and getting her hand cuffs with which she restrained Lebarge.

 

Lebarge was hauled off down the block by Cahusac and Jussac while d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Athos were taken to the medical wing for treatment, where Lemay took one look at them and ordered an ambulance to take them straight to hospital stating that they didn't have the necessary facilities there to provide the kind of treatment needed. 

None of the three complained at this, partly because Lemay gave them all a shot of morphine for the pain leaving them groggy, but also because it meant they were at least getting out of The Bastille even if it was only to go to the hospital.

 

Saint Mary's Hospital

 

d'Artagnan was taken straight off for surgery to treat his punctured lungs while Porthos and Athos were both able to be treated in the emergency department. 

Porthos needed over fifty stitches to patch up where Lebarge had slashed and stabbed him and a blood transfusion but had been lucky to avoid any broken bones. 

Athos on the other hand had a hair line fracture to his jaw, two breaks to his nose, several missing teeth, splits in his lips, eyebrows, and cheek bones that needed stitches, a broken cheek bone, a concussion, and several broken ribs from his tangle with Lebarge. 

While neither was capable of being threat to anyone or making an escape attempt both Porthos and d'Artagnan had to have escorts while they were in the hospital, one was Constance the other saddly was Bernajoux who offered no sympathy or understanding to either of the wounded Cons, just grunted about overtime and how furious Rochefort was. 

The Consultants refused to release any of the patients that night and d'Artagnan was likely to be kept in longer as he had had surgery but both Porthos and Athos, if they passed the night without any further problems would likely be released in the morning. 

Knowing that this meant an immediate return to Prison for Porthos Athos asked for a phone as soon as he was moved into a wide ward for the night. 

As a matter of practicality the hospital had organized a single side room for Athos, d'Artagnan, and Porthos to share so Constance and Bernajoux only had a single room to guard instead of several which would have meant them having to call in additional support. 

Treville answered his mobile on the second ring and picked up on the pain in Athos's voice right away.   
"Yeah I'm in hospital, damn psycho Lebarge attacked d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Me" he said rubbing his eyes and groaning as the move caused them to ache all the more

"Christ are you alright?" 

"Black and blue but I'll live" Athos replied "It's Porthos and d'Artagnan I'm worried about, I don't think it was coinsidence that Lebarge singled them out for murder right when they're going to be called as material wittnesses against Anne"

"You think she's involved?"

"I don't know, I could be just being paranoid, but I don't believe that they're safe going back to Prison, If Anne got to Lebarge and put him up to this then she could do the same to others and next time they might not be so lucky as to survive".

 

Treville cursed and Athos swore he could almost hear the other man thinking!, several moments went by before Treville replied to him, "I'll de Foix and see if in light of the situation they can both be placed under house arrest in a safe house until their appeals can go through" he said 

"Thanks Treville, I owe you one" Athos said with a sigh of relief

"You owe me a damn sight more than that!" Treville scoffed "Take care of yourself and I'll call you back as soon as I know anything". 

 

Hanging up the phone Athos settled back against the pillows with a deep sigh   
"So we ain't goin' back t'prison?" Porthos asked from the other bed, d'Artagnan was not yet back from theatre and would be kept in ICU for a while until they were satisfied he could go back to the regular ward

"Not if I can help it no" Athos replied sleepily "I'm having a friend contact one of the police looking into Milady to see if you two can be moved to a safe house until all this is over and you're both aquitted of the crimes you were sentenced for"  
"Shit man! no prison!" Porthos breathed with a dirty chuckle "Almost makes gettin' beat up worth while!"

"Well don't get your hopes up too much" Athos said with a wry smile "You'll still be under house arrest not living it up"

"Yeah but still, no prison, no screws, and 'opefully decent food!", grinning as much as his face would allow Athos let himself drift into a light doze as Porthos talked allowed about Pizza, and Chinese, and Mexican, the sports chanel and a several other things that slipped in and out of Athos's mind without him registering them properly. 

 

It was the ringing of the phone that disturbed Athos some time later, at which point he discovered that he must have gone right off to sleep as d'Artagnan had been brought into their room and was slumbering peacefully while Porthos snored loud enough to wake to dead!.  
Groaning he lifted the phone and managed to make a semi coherant greeting considering how groggy he was, "Athos?, it's Treville, de Foix's managed to swing it, they'll be picking you three up tomorrow morning and taking you outside the city" 

"Me too?" Athos mumbled 

"Yes, you may be a target aswell so de Foix's placing you into protection too" 

"Okay, thanks Treville" Athos said yawning loudly 

"Shit you're off your face on Morphine aren't you?"

"Yeah!, good stuff, y'should try it!"

"Fine!, I'll talk to you when you've come back down!" Trevilled chuckled and disconnected letting Athos hang up and fall back to sleep within moments!.

 

The only downside of the safe house was that Aramis wasn't able to be told where it was or be given conntact with Porthos, though Athos made a call to Treville to contact the vicar and let him know that Porthos was going to be fine.   
At ten the following morning the police came to take all three of them to a farm house outside of the city, while the consultant wasn't happy about d'Artagnan leaving the hospital so soon he let him go on the understanding that a police Doctor be at the safe house to make sure he was alright and to change the dressings all three had on. 

Since they were all still doped up on pain killers and antibiotics none of them spoke much, mostly sleeping through out the journey and going straight to bed as soon as they were at the farm house all too tired and uncomfortable to want to do more than just sleep. 

 

Saint Germain

 

Milady answered her phone and before she could speak Rochefort was launching into tirade   
"They're alive, in Police custody under police protection!" he snarled "That bastard half wit husband of yours too!, all three of them out of our reach!"

"Nothings out of my reach" Milady cooly replied "Police will have them in a Police safe house, thats just a simple matter of looking through files to find the right one" 

"And how long will it take?" 

"As long as it takes!" Milady sighed rolling her eyes at Rochefort childish impatience "I suggest you let me get started on this and deal with your loose end"

"What?"

"Lebarge?, you don't want him talking now do you?", Milady hung up on Rochefort with a smirk at getting the last word and went to her lap top to start hacking into the Police records again.

 

Bastille 

Rochefort hated getting his hands dirty, not that he was afraid of killing people, quite the contrary, he just felt it was beneath him to do so, however in this case he had little choice, Milady was right about Lebarge, not only had he failed he was a loose end that needed tying up and he would see to that right away, with a spiked miniture bottle of vodka with enough heroine in it to kill three times over. 

Going into Lebarge's cell he smirked at the large man who glowered back at him "Not such a professional then" he said 

"Screw you!" Lebarge spat back at him "Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't grass you up on this eh?" 

"if you do that you won't get another chance at killing d'Artagnan and Porthos" Rochefort replied with a cool smile "Nore a treat" he added pulling the bottle from his pocket with finger tips covered by a layer of cling film, Lebarges eyes lit up at the sight of the vodka and Rochefort tossed it to him, "You're down here for the next fourteen days then you'll be back on the wing and free to finish the job" 

"No problem" Lebarge replied cracking the bottle open and downing it in a single gulp "I can't wait!"

"Thats the spirit!" Rochefort applauded sarcastically, deciding there were was no point in sticking around to watch Lebarge die he left the cell and locked the door heading back to his office with a smug smile on his face, forgetting that the security cammeras had recorded his going into the cell and leaving.


	22. Chapter 22

Paris

"Are you sure they're alright?" Aramis asked raking a hand through his hair as he stood before Treville's untidy desk, the PI had called him several hours ago and told him what had happened in the Bastille and the relocation of Porthos, Athos, and d'Artagnan, and while he had assured the Vicar that Porthos was alright Aramis had needed to speak to him face to face to be certain, not that he would truly be certain until he saw Porthos himself.

"They've been released from the hospital and are now in the safe house under protective custody" Treville said sipping from his coffee cup and making a face, one of these days he'd have to invest in a real coffee maker and not rely on instant!, "I don't know where they are exactly but De Foix assures me they are as well as can be expected and are in no danger"

"No danger!", Aramis snorted gracelessly at that statement and began to pace the small office his restless fingers fiddling with things as he went about, "Yeah no danger unless you count deranged ex-wives dangerous!" 

Treville sighed and leaned back in his chair folding his hands over his stomach "What d'you want me to do Aramis?" he asked raising an eyebrow when Aramis spun back round 

"Do?" he cried "I want you to find that murdering bitch and make sure she's locked up for the rest of her miserable existance!" 

"I am trying to do that" Treville said as patiently as he could "Every Police officer in France is looking for her as we speak, she is however very adept at concealing herself".

 

Aramis wanted to snear at the uselessness of the Police, to complain that Treville was just making excuses, but he knew all too well how good this bitch was at hiding and changing her identity. With a resigned sigh he slumped down into the chair before desk stretching his long legs out before him   
"So what can I do to help?" he asked making Treville look surprised, "I'm not just going to sit on my hands waiting for someone to stumble over the psycho cow!" Aramis said "I want to help, so tell me how I can help".

 

Safe House

After sleeping away nearly twenty four hours all three men were feeling much better, certainly more clear headed as the heavy doses of morphine got out of their systems, while they were all still on pain relief it was much less potant.

Their appetites improved aswell, their first day at the house none of them had been hungry, they'd been to tired to care about food and just wanted to sleep, but as the rose that morning they were all feeling better. 

The two undercover police officers at the house were friendly and cheerfull enough to put them all at ease, running through the basic rules over breakfast, which d'Artagnan cooked, having not had the chance to cook in months (Or eaten anything decent) he had eagerly comandeered the kitchen and cooked up two huge stakes of pancakes, French toast, a pot of coffee, and another of hot chocolate!. 

The rules were pretty much what anyone would expect, stay away from the windows, don't go outside unless escorted, no conntact with the outside world. Other than that they had the run of the farm house and could do as they pleased.

"Damn kid y'make a good house wife!" Porthos said as he eagerly dug into his pancakes after soaking them in syrup "God real food!, I swear I was forgetting what it tasted like!"  
"Prison food really that bad?" one of the detective asked dabbing his lips with a paper towel

"Terrible" Porthos said 

"Sleeping in a real bed not a bunk!" d'Artagnan sighed dreamily "And in a room of my own!"

"Hey!" Porthos protested with a grin that belied his protests "I'm not that bad a cell mate!"

"Hopefully your appeals will go through swiftly and you'll be able to continue your freedom without having to go back to prison" the other detective said frowning as his mobile rang, excusing himself from the table he went into the living room to answer it

"Has their been any news on Anne yet?" Athos asked getting a head shake from the first detective 

"Nothing so far, seems the bitch can do a damn good Houdini" 

"D'You think she'll stay in France or try to get out of the country?" d'Artagnan asked thinking that if he were on the run he'd be high tailing it to Brazil or some place with no extradition order

"With every airport, dock, train station and moterway being watched she'd have a difficulty" the Detective said "My gut feeling is that she's still in Paris laying low, but sooner or later she'll make a move, and when she does we'll get her".

 

While the detective seemed certain of this Athos looked less convinced probably because he had seen them fail twice already to capture her, he didn't say anything however as the second detective came into the kitchen with a grim expression   
"What is it?" the first detective asked

"Word from de Foix, apparently Lebarge is dead" he replied making the whole table turn and gaze at him in shock 

"How?" Porthos asked "Bastard was built like a truck!, it'd take a force of nature to destroy him!"

"Well theres not been an autopsy yet but it looks like he's been poisoned" Detective said shaking his head "It might be suicide but from what I've been told he was found with a miniture bottle of vodka and it's probable that whatever killed him was in the vodka".

 

"Lebarge wouldn't top himself, he wasn't the type" Porthos said as he d'Artagnan and Athos sat before the forty two inch screen TV, one of the news stations was on but they weren't watching it "He jus' wouldn't do it he loved himself to much" 

"So that means he was murdered then" d'Artagnan said tapping his fingers on the arm rest "But who could have got to him to do it?, he was down the block wasn't he?"

"that don't mean shit Pup, hell you got smokes, drink and food to me" Porthos said seemingly forgetting that Athos was still a screw and rose an eyebrow at them 

"Maybe you could pretend you didn't hear that?" d'Artagnan asked with a hopeful expression

"Should I worry about any other bad habits you might have picked up during in your time in The Bastille?" Athos asked with a slight smile of his lips, d'Artagnan pouted at him before smiling as Athos tugged him closer and put and arm about his shoulders planting a kiss on his head 

"No more pretending not be in love then?" Porthos said with a smirk 

"Well I'm sure as hell not going back to being your jailor after all this" Athos said tipping his head lazily to the side to speak to Porthos "No matter what I'm not going back to that shit hole or locking up innocent people like you two anymore"

"What will you do for work?" d'Artagnan asked resting his chin on Athos's shoulder 

"Don't know yet, maybe I'll ask Treville if he'd like a partner!" Athos replied with a lobsided smile "I kind of like the idea of helping investigate crimes and free the innocent"

"Yeah?", d'Artagnan sat up now and gave Athos a more appraising look than he ever had before "You'll need one of those weird hats, a big coat and a gun!"

"Like the one Sherlock wears!" Porthos said with a chuckle "You'll need a magnifing Glass aswell then!, and say The Game is Afoot!"

"How Elementary!" Athos said scathingly 

"Think I could be a detective too?" d'Artagnan asked bouncing a little on the sofa making Porthos snicker 

"Y'ain't old enough!" he teased "They don't let twelve year olds do stuff like that!", Athos snorted with laughter while d'Artagnan looked outraged

"I am not twelve!" he cried

"Thirteen then!"

"I'm nineteen!" d'Artagnan yelled the look of fury on his face making the older men all the more amused!, had he been able then d'Artagnan would have launched himself at both of them and beaten them with the pillows, but his ribs were still too delicate for that and so settled for sulking beside Athos until the older man curled about him and promised to make it up to him when they were both feeling stronger.

 

Bastille

Rochefort was cursing himself and his stupidity as the Police took the videos from the surveylance cammeras to see who had been given access to Lebarge while he was down the block.   
It wouldn't take them long to see him paying a visit to the late prisoner for no apparent reason, while his finger prints weren't on the vodka bottle it was evidence enough to have him arrested and questioned and probably enough to get a warrents for the police to start going through his bank records and other affairs, sooner or later they'd find something criminal and from there the preverbial pack of cards would come crashing down.

Rather than wait around to be arrested Rochefort packed his brief case and left the Bastille telling his secetary that he was going out to Lunch when in fact he headed home, threw clothes into a bag and opened his personal safe where he kept two guns, a pay as you go mobile, and about five thousand in cash along with bank cards under another name, emptying the lot into his bag he changed out of his suit into jeans, a black shirt and a dark blue leather jacket, covering his head with a base ball cap and his face with overly large sunglasses he left his house out of the back door and climbed the wall, heading down the alley and into the next street. 

Rochefort kept his head down as he walked swiftly up and onto the highstreet where he hailed a cab to take him to Milady's hotel. 

 

"Bonjour Monsieur may I help you?" the receptionist asked as Rochefort came up to the desk 

"Yes you can get me a suite and call Madamoiselle Lydia Medwinter's room and tell her I am here to see her"

"Certainly Monsier, and your name is....?"

"Christopher Choefort", Rochefort pronounced the sur name as Showfort, having used his middle name of Christophe and borrowed the R to make himself a new name", he handed over the bank card with the same name on it, storing the other baring the name Marc Forrochet in case he needed it later, Milady knew of both psudonyms and allowed Rochefort straight up to her room and met him at the door. 

"Problems?" she asked as he came in 

"If the Police don't know I killed Lebarge then they will soon" Rochefort replied throwing down the base ball cap and pouring himself a drink from the mini bar "Tell me you have an address on d'Artagnan and Porthos"

"Not yet" Milady replied pouring herself a drink "I have alot of propertys to go through, but I'll find it eventually"

"Thats not fast enough!" Rochefort snarled downing the drink in one and slamming the glass down on the side board making Milady jump slightly "We have to find them and kill them"  
"And then what?" Milady drawled leaning her weight back against the wall and bent her knee pressing a stileto heel against the wall "You can't go back to being governor of the Bastille, your plans are over well and truly"

"I know that!", cursing under his breath Rochefort paced the room raking a hand through his short blonde hair "I have money enough in off shore accounts, I'll leave France and go elsewhere, but first I want revenge on that pair of bastards!" he spat turning to look at Milady with a deranged gleam in his eyes "I will kill them both for ruining me, I'll make them suffer before I snuff their life out, then, and only then will I leave". 

 

Police Station

 

Rochefort's disappearance did not go unnoticed and within hours he was declared to be on the run as a suspect for the potential Muder of Lebarge, while they would not no for certain if Lebarge was killed by whatever was in the vodka bottle until the test results came back it was clear that Rochefort had paid him a brief visit shortly before the time of death and had now dissappeared, suspicious behavior to say the least.

"Thank God you moved d'Artagnan and Porthos to the safe house" Treville said to de Foix, he had offered to assist the Police in their search leaving Aramis at the office going through the records of every hostal, hotel, bed and breakfast, and boarding house in Paris to try and find Milady, using enviable hacking skills he was hijacking security cammeras to have a look at the Women to eliminate them from his list as he went along.

"The Prison Governor a murderer" de Foix said shaking his head "What is this world coming to?"

"Beats the shit out of me!" Treville said sitting on the corner of de Foix's desk "Y'could always pack it in, retire like I did"

"Oh yeah?" de Foix snorted "And spend my days rescuing kittens from trees and tracking down missing mutts?", Treville gave him a two fingered salute to which de Foix chuckled 

"No I still believe in the Police force, despite all thats wrong I believe that we can do well"   
Treville nodded and offered his old friend a sympathetic smile "Well finding these two and bringing them to justice will certainly help that"

"And that I will endevour to do my Friend" de Foix promised sitting down and opening another file "No matter how much over time I have to do in order to do it!".


	23. Chapter 23

Five days had past since they had been at the safe house and all three injured menw ere starting to feel better, something that became clear as Athos awoke to the shockingly pleasent sensation of a mouth about his cock and a tongue teasing the slit in such a wicked way that it almost brought tears to his eyes!.  
He didn't even have to lift the sheet to know that it was d'Artagnan laying over his legs sucking him with such intensity he was like a man who had been dying of thirst in a dessert for the last year!.  
Throwing caution to the wind Athos let himself moan as loud as he wanted reaching under the covers to place his hands in d'Artagnan's hair, not pushing him down but adding a little pressure to his head as he bobbed 

"God d'Art!" Athos gasped as his balls were cupped in warm hands fondled so much that he wanted to weep!, that licking tongue continued to torment him and the sucking warmth was driving him past the point of no return, with a heart felt cry Athos came down d'Artagnan's throat and collapsed back on the bed panting and swearing he could see stars flashing behind his eyelids!.

"Good for you!?" d'Artagnan purred snuggling up beside Athos and planting a kiss on his cheek as the older man came back to his senses and blinked dazedly at him 

"You'll be the death of me!" Athos groaned rolling over and wrapping his arms about d'Artagnan spooning up about him and kissed his neck making d'Artagnan chirup like a cat and squirm against him, "Will this be a regular occurance?" Athos asked nipping his teeth gently into the skin of d'Artagnan's neck "You waking me up like that?", a grin spread lazily over d'Artagnan's lips and he leaned back further into Athos's grasp 

"Would you like it to be?" he asked his eyes widdening and a gasp escaping his lips as Athos's hand wrapped about his cock "If I get this in return I guarantee I'll wake you like that everyday!" he moaned bucking his hips in rythem with Athos's stroking and bit his lip as Athos's lips ghosted against his ear 

"I can promise you'll always get this and better still!".

 

Saint Germain

 

"I have something!"

Rochefort's lifted his head from where he was bent over the sink cleaning his teeth, spitting out the toothpaste he rinsed and wiped his mouth then padded bare foot through to the bedroom where Milady was stretched out on her front on the bed tapping at the laptop.

"What have you got?" Rochefort asked dropping his towel across the back of a chair

"A safe house just outside of Paris" Milady said with a smirk "It's currently occupied by two detective and three individuals who's identities are undisclosed"

"Perfect" Rochefort breathed getting onto the bed beside Milady and looking at the laptop his eyes swiftly looking over the information "We attack tonight" he stated rising off the bed once more and going to his back pack from which he took his gun along with two spare clips

"You have a plan?" Milady asked shutting the laptop down and stretching out her long legs making her toes crack

"Indeed" Rochefort said as he checked the gun "We go to the house and kill every single thing there that breaths".

 

Treville's office 

 

"Halleilujah!"

"Jesus!" Treville cried leaping about two foot in their air as he was woken from his sleep which ahd some how been with his head under a pizza box!, and said pizza box was now on the floor, by Aramis's sudden exclamation, "God almighty!" Treville groaned running a hand over his face and sighed deeply 

"I've found her!, I've found the bitch!" Aramis cried all but bouncing in his swivel chair and pointing at the computer screen "Look!, come look!"

"This better be good!" Treville mumbled getting his feet and staggering over to where Aramis was sitting and bent forward to look at the computer screen narrowing his eyes at the fuzzy imagine (He needed glasses and wouldn't wear them).

The woman on the hacked security camera had bobbed ginger hair and sunglasses on her face but the face shape was definately Anne de Briuel  
"And theres more" Aramis crowed "This woman checked in under the name of Lydia Medwinter, rearrange the letters and you get Milady de Winter"

"Milady de Winter" Treville whispered his fingers tracing the computer screen image "Gotcha you bitch!" he cried slapping his hand on the desk suddenly wide awake and very energetic 

"You gonna call the Police?" Aramis asked 

"Sure" Treville said pulling on his jacket with one hand while fiddling with his safe with the other looking for all the world like a slap stick comedy PI about to do something incredibly and predictably stupid, "I'll call them on my way to the hotel and arrest the bitch myself"

"Great!", Aramis leaped to his feet and pulled on his own jacket "I'm going with you!"

"What?, no you're not!" Treville said as he got his favorite glock out of the safe "You're a Priest not a cop!"

"I'm a Vicar!" Aramis said reaching into the safe and picked out a colt "I'm also ex army I'm trained in weaponry and you are not going without me!", with well practised ease he loaded and cocked the gun and gave Treville an expectant look.

The private investigater looked Aramis up and down and shook his head "All I need!" he muttered "A damn rooky on my coat tails!"

"If you can put your coat on properly" Aramis replied with a grin and gestured to the door, shaking his head once again Treville lead the way going down to his hair while dialling de Foix to let him know they'd found Milady.

 

Saint Germain

 

Having already hacked security Aramis knew the room number that Milady was in and followed Treville straight to the lift as they got into the hotel, together they went up to the floor and stepped out on the landing   
"So what now?" Aramis asked in an excited whisper "Do I crouch behind the door and cover you while you demand she opens up!?"

Treville gave him a look of disgust and shook his head "You've seen to many spy films!"

"Oh c'mon who doesn't love Bond, don't y'think I've got a touch of Pierce Brosnan?"

"Timothy Dalton!" Treville drawled with a smirk "And I am so much better looking than Daniel Craig!".

 

Aramis couldn't help but be rather disappointed when Treville simply knocked on Milady's door and waited for her to answer instead of kicking it down and charging in guns blazing!, honestly what self respecting detective waited outside doors?.

Apparently not Treville because after a few minutes and two more knocks he bent down and drew a lock pick from his pocket and opened the door   
"Now this is more like it!" Aramis declared as they snuck inside the room 

"Put these on" Treville said handing him a pair of latex gloves so they would leave their finger prints "Be careful what you touch" 

"Yeah yeah!" Aramis said going straight to the laptop and firing it up 

"What did I just say!?"

"Don't you want to see what's she's been up to?" Aramis replied as he set about breaking the security, for a woman who was on the run Milady hadn't bothered with a very difficult password, honestly the date she's married Athos?, a three year old could have guessed it!. 

While Aramis set about going through the files and checking internet activity Treville looked through the rest of the place, "A Man's been staying here" he said noting the shaving kit in the bathroom and the boxer shorts

"Bet you fifty it's Rochefort" Aramis called back as he went through Milady's internet activity "damn bitch went through the police files, thats how she knew about d'Artagnan and Porthos being in the Bastille and that they're star wittnesses"

"Any idea what their plans are?" Treville asked coming out of the bathroom 

"You mean other than high tailing it to Brazil?" Aramis quipped with a lobsided grin "Because thats what I'd do!", Treville made a non commital noise while continuing to rummage through the clothes and bags, "Uhoh!" Aramis said with his face paling "Where d'you say the cops are hiding our guys?"

"Outside of the city, why?" Treville replied with a frown, Aramis pushed the lap top round showing a picture of the safe house "You don't think this is it do you?".

 

De Foix and his team were only just arrive at the hotel when Aramis and Treville came bursting out the door "They've gone and they know where they are!" Aramis yelled 

"What?, what?" de Foix asked looking bewildered at Treville 

"Milady, she was here, Rochefort was with her and they know about the safe house" Treville explained in brief as he ran behind Aramis to the car 

"Jesus Christ!" de Foix swore "You two!" he barked pointing at two officers "Secure the room and collect evidence the rest of you with me!" he jumped back into the car and hardly shut the door before he was getting back into the traffic with his siren turned on and was calling on dispatch on the radio to let them know what had happened.

 

Safe house

 

d'Artagnan had dosed off on the couch watching the late night movie, Porthos was picking at popcorn and yawning tiredly, Athos gave d'Artagnan a smile and kissed his cheek making the boy mumble and snuggle closer to him

"Anyone want a hot drink before bed?" one of the detectives asked, the other replied with a snore and shifted about on the chair he was sprawled in 

"Sure cocoa one sugar" Porthos said setting the popcorn on the side "Marshmallows if you've got them"

"Athos?" the detective asked 

"Yeah but no sugar in mine, and half the sugar bowl in sleepyheads here!" he said stroking d'Artagnan's hair, chuckling the detective left them and went through the kitchen.   
As he set about getting cups and heating milk a cold draft ghosted over the back of his neck making him shiver and turn to look at the window which to his shock was open with a large hole cut in it from a diamond, he opened his mouth to call for help but at that moment Rochefort put a garrot about his throat and pulled it taut slicing his throat open and killing him in seconds!.

"One down!" Milady said with a smirk cocking her gun "Four to go!".

 

Together the two of them walked through the house to the sitting room, they didn't bother being covert now and as soon as they were in the sitting room Milady had put a bullet through the other detective's head!.

Popcorn went flying as Porthos leaped to his feet knocking over the table in the process, d'Artagnan and Athos too leaped up with Athos shoving d'Artagnan behind him to try and protect him 

"Hello husband!" Milady drawled with a cruel smile on her face "Long time no see!".


	24. Chapter 24

The air was thick with fear as the five of them stared at each other, Athos could feel d'Artagnan shaking behind him and Porthos was growling under his breath as he glared at Rochefort and Milady  
"Naturally you're all thinking of ways to escape, to save yourselves" Rochefort said with a sneer "Don't bother, there is no escape"

"Not for you either" Athos said slipping his hand behind him to clasp d'Artagnan's "You're screwed Rochefort you'll get life for this", he lifted his chin defiently as Rochefort stepped closer with the gun leveled at his head "You're not getting out of the country, they'll catch you and when they do you'll be lucky if you come up for parole when your ninety!"

Rochefort smirked at him "What makes you think anyone will catch me?" he whispered at Athos "I've been getting away with things like this for fifteen years!, I've manipulated, bribed, threatened, and murdered my way through everything and anything who has stood in my path!, I will not be defeated by the likes of you!, I may have to leave France for a while but I will return!, and under a new name, with a surgically altered face I will rule this country and burn all those who ever opposed me!".

 

While Rochefort spoke like a bad comic book hero Porthos's eyes had desperately searched the room for a weapon, the best he could see was the gun in the dead detective's holster, all he had to do was reach it, the only problem was being able to reach it without being seen and shot by Milady or Rochefort, then again Porthos was surprisingly nimble for such a large man, years on the streets had taught him how to be swift to survive and his time in prison had not lessened this skill. 

Bending his knees slightly Porthos tightened his stomach muscles tensing his body up in preparation, with a glance at Rochefort and at Milady Porthos sucked in a deep breath and lunged. 

Moving with the speed and agility of a cat he was across the room and had the gun in his hand before Milady could fire her gun at him, when she did fire he had already made it to safety behind the couch where he cocked the gun while Rochefort wirled round with an angry cry making the mistake of turning his back on d'Artagnan and Athos who immediately took advantage of the mistake. 

Athos kicked Rochefort in the back of his knee sending the man falling forward and firing his gun up so the bullet hit the ceiling as he stumbled to the ground  
Milady snarled in frustration having to turn from chasing down Porthos and swing her gun round to focus on Athos and d'Artagnan who threw themselves forward as she fired round after round at them emptying the clip as she wasted the ammunition in anger, though the burning pain that spread down Athos's arm let him know that at least one round had made contact, a quick glance to d'Artagnan assured him that the younger man was unharmed save for the stress his healing wounds were undergoing. 

While Milady tried to reload Porthos took the oportunity to attack, getting up from behind the sofa he took aim and fired!.

He could have killed her, taken a head shot but he did not, he aimed for her shoulder and then for a leg effectively crippling her and sending her falling to the ground with the gun sliding across the floor while she screamed in pain.

"Bastard!" Rochefort snarled rising up and firing at Porthos who threw himself to the ground once more, "I'll kill all of you!" Rochefort roared turning to face d'Artagnan and Athos

This time it was d'Artagnan who shoved Athos out of the way and threw himself at Rochefort grabbing him by the shoulders as he straddeled the man and head butted him viciously breaking Rochefort's noses and making both their head's spin at the force of the contact, being the first to recover d'Artagnan punched Rochefort in the face twice smashing his lips and doing further damage to his nose "I won't let you hurt him!" he shouted at Rochefort though it wasn't Rochefort he was seeing, it wasn't the safe house he was in right now, he was back home with his Father dead on the floor and was fighting for his life against Gaudet 

"I won't let you do this!" he screamed at Rochefort delivering another punch to the mans already bleeding face, Rochefort grunted in pain and spat out broken teeth, gripping the gun tight in his hand he raised it and fired as Athos screamed and Porthos roared firing his own gun!.

 

For a moment d'Artagnan felt nothing, it was like he went completely numb, the whole world about him seemed to fade away, it was like he was floating like his body was moving with no control, it was only when he hit the ground with a dull thud that he was able to register the pain that was burning in his side and the coldness that was spreading through him, as he registered this everything else seemed to fade away into nothingness, Athos leaning over him with tears running down his face was a blurred image, the sound of sirens and shouting were a distorted sounds in his ears that faded out as darkness covered his vision and he fell into unconsciousness.

 

"No, no no no NO!" Athos chanted shaking d'Artagnan and slapping his face "Don't do this to me!, please don't do this!"

"Athos!" Treville bellowed as the he and the police burst into the safe house 

"Porthos!" Aramis shouted sounding almost hysterical, Porthos dropped the gun he was still holding and took his eyes off Rochefort's destroyed skull turning towards the door as Aramis ran in and ran straight into his arms babbling about how scared he'd been and how happy he was to see him 

"M'okay baby, s'okay" Porthos mumbled feeling rather bewildered, he'd never taken a life before and now he felt a little sick at the thought of it, Milady was still on the floor moaning in pain and spitting curses at everyone 

"We need ambulances" de Foix shouted as he joined Treville on the floor besides Athos and d'Artagnan 

"How bad?" he asked Treville 

"Upper abdominal shot he's loosing alot of blood" Treville replied taking off his jacket to press it into the wound "His spine may have been hit" 

"Shit!", de Foix ran a hand over his face, everything had gone to shit!, two of his best detectives were dead, Rochefort was dead but that was no loss, and one of the star wittnesses could be dying or face life perminantly disabled!

"Don't give up on me please don't leave me!" Athos wept over d'Artagnan stroking his face with bloody hands ignoring his own wound as he pleaded with his lover to live

"Where the fuck are those ambulances?" de Foix bellowed 

"ETA ten minutes sir" one of the detectives said 

"Let the little bastard bleed to death!" Milady spat "If not for him we'd have won!"

"D'you want a broken jaw to go with the arm and leg?" Treville snarled at her 

"Who shot Rochefort?" de Foix asked 

"Me" Porthos whispered from where he was sat in a chair with Aramis hovering over him stroking his head and face "He was gonna kill d'Art so I shot him", clearly Porthos was in deep shock, his face was pale but expressionless his eyes were unfocused and voice a monotone. Pressing his lips into a thin line de Foix crossed the room and placed a hand Porthos's shoulder giving it a squeeze and making the younger man look up at him 

"You've done nothing wrong Son, you did what you had to" 

"I killed him" Porthos whispered shaking his head 

"Because he'd have killed you and your friends if you hadn't" Aramis stated kissing Porthos's cheek "You've nothing to feel guilty over, you did what you had to, please don't blame yourself my love"  
A little bewildered Porthos looked up at Aramis and rested his head against his chest and closed his eyes letting the smaller man comfort him

"Athos take his legs and raise them" Treville said making de Foix turn back to d'Artagnan "He's going into shock get his legs up and keep the blood where it's needed!", dumbly Athos complied lifting d'Artagnan's legs up while Treville applied even more pressure to the wound "Come on kid hang in there" he whispered clenching his jaw and praying that there was enough fight in d'Artagnan to get through this.

 

Saint Mary's hospital

Athos had officially decided he hated hospitals as he lay back in his bed his arm in plaster and stiched up. The bullet had broken his humorus bone and cracked his shoulder, he'd be in plaster for weeks and was looking physio therepy after it came off, not something he was really looking forward to.

That however wasn't the reason he hated hospitals though, it was because they were filled with so much worry, no matter where you were in any area of a hospital people were worried, about themselves, their partners, their children, parents, friends, hospitals were just gigantic places filled with worry and right now Athos had never been more worried in his life. 

d'Artagnan had been rushed into surgery as soon they reached the hospital and was still there, as they'd come into the emergency department together Athos had heard some what the doctors had been shouting at each other things like 

"Suspected ruptered spleen and aorta!"

"Possible spinal damage"

"Hurry or he'll be in DIC!" 

While not a Doctor himself AThos had seen enough medical dramas to know what these things meant, a ruptered spleen and aorta were some of the most severe injuries anyone could get, spinal damage, well only a total moron wouldn't know what that meant, and DIC?, basically if d'Artagnan got this then he was dead, his blood would not clot, he'd be bleeding from every major artuary in his body until there wasn't enough left to flow.

The thought of loosing d'Artagnan was enough to make Athos want to run to nearest toilet and turn his guts inside out, they mught not have been together for very long but already Athos felt that if he lost d'Artagnan then he would loose the only thing keeping sane, loose his only tether to the world, he'd never believed in such romantic notions as Soul mates, especially not since Anne, but with how he felt about d'Artagnan he was willing to consider the possibility of them being Soul mates, meant to be.

Glancing up at the clock he sighed and winced, three and a half hours had gone by and still there was no words on d'Artagnan.   
Athos wasn't sure if the fact it was taking so long was a good sign or not, but perhaps if it was taking a long time then that was because the Doctors had a lot they could do?, if they'd been in and out then wouldn't that mean that there wasn't anything they could do?. 

Athos wanted to think positive, Christ he had to think positive because if he didn't then he would surely go mad!.

 

Bastille

Porthos lay in his medical wing bed with Aramis holding his hand the two of them sleeping and breathing almost in unison. Aramis's neck was lolling onto his shoulder ensuring he'd have one hell of a neck ache in the morning while Porthos was curled up almost in a fetal position and snoring quite loudly into the pillow under his head.

De Foix had been appologetic but he'd had no choice but to have Porthos take back to Prison, while he felt certain that the young man didn't belong there the law stated until he was officially released then he had to remain in prision. 

As it was Constance who was the most senior officer available had become acting governor and had him taken straight to medical where she would try to keep him until his court date that De Foix promised to try and help get through as fast as he could. 

Since it was clear Porthos was suffering from shock over having killed Rochefort Dr Larroque had been called and had made an appointment with Porthos to begin crisis counciling right away. Not caring who saw them or what anyone thought Aramis had insisted on remained besides Porthos and would not be leaving him unless he was forceably removed!. 

Seeing the devotion on the Vicar's face and having been sympathetic to Porthos and d'Artagnan, Constance had agreed deciding to turn a blind eye to anything that might be considered less than professional between Porthos and Aramis.

 

Saint Mary's Hospital 

 

Treville came and sat at Athos's bedside as the hour approached four thirty am, clearly he hadn't slept anymore than Athos and was drinking some foul hospital coffee from a styrofoam cup. 

"Anne's in a hospital across down recovering from having her femur and her shoulder pinned and plated" he said as he slumped down into a chair "She's got two guards on her at all times and as soon as she is deemed fit enough she'll be taken to a maximum security prison to await trial" 

Athos sighed and shook his head giving a soft snort "Five years ago I'd have celebrated to hear that" he said to Treville bitterly "But right now?, I'd be happier if she was still free so long as d'Artagnan was alright"

Treville's face creased with empathy, he took Athos's fingers where the cast didn't cover them and squeezed them "He will be alright Athos, that Kids a fighter to the core"

"What if he's paralysed?" Athos asked "He's not even twenty and he could be looking at the rest of his life in a wheel chair for Christ sake!"

"You don't know that, even if his spine was hit they can repair such things alot of the time these days, d'Artagnan's young, fit, and strong, he'll get through this I'm sure of it" Treville stated, Athos looked away, looked at the clock and sighed 

"I wish I was".

 

It was just after dawn when the Surgeon finally came to see Athos after spending hours in theatre with d'Artagnan who had been taken to the ICU. 

"How is he?, is he alright?" Athose asked desperately 

"Yes" the Surgeon replied smiling at the relief that exploded onto Athos's features, Treville gave a small laugh and patted his leg grinning at him, "While Monsieur d'Artagnan's condition is serious he is now stable"

"And his spine?, is he......will he walk?" Athos asked almost too afraid to know the answer

"His spine was clipped by the bullet" the Surgeon said "One of the Vertebra was damaged but not severely, with rest followed by some intense physio he should make a full recovery", Athos almost fainted with relief at this, the intensity of his relief was so great that he hardly heard the Doctor speaking of removed Spleen and repaired Aorta, all he could think was that d'Artagnan was alive and was going to recover and he would make sure of it, no expense would be spared he was determined on that!, d'Artagnan would have the best physio money could buy, he'd have the best equipment, training, everything needed to ensure he made a complete recovery and Athos would be with him all the way and would celebrate with him on the day that d'Artagnan took his first unaided steps.

"Can I go and see him please?" he asked the Surgeon who looked dubious, "Please!, I've been waiting all night and...............I just need to see him", while he looked reluctant the Surgeon nodded and went to get a wheelchair.   
Several minutes later Athos was wheeled besides d'Artagnan's bed where he lay covered in wires with things dripping fluids and blood into him while other machine beeped. To Athos he had never looked smaller or younger or in fact more beautiful!. 

"Five minutes" the Surgeon said drawing the curtain round them for privacy

Athos gently took d'Artagnan's hand mindful of the IV and pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles, "Hey sweetheart you made it, we all made it and I promise from here on things will get better and better" he whispered "Nothing will seperate us again, not now, you and me will be together forever I swear", he continued to whisper sweet nothings to d'Artagnan until the five minutes were up, then before he was taken back to his room he pressed a chaste kiss to d'Artagnan's lips and promised to be back as soon as he could with flowers, grapes, and chocolate,

"You two together I take it?" the nurse asked as she wheeled Athos back to his room 

"yeah we are" Athos said with a relaxed smile "We're together forever".


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we are done!, I hope you enjoy the last chapter of this fic, after all the angst, blood shed, and nail biting I think they deserve this.

One year later

Porthos had thought the parties that was thrown when he and d'Artagnan were officially exonerated could not possibly be beaten by anything, God knows Athos and Aramis had gone to town on them, Athos opening up his anciestorial home giving Aramis a blank check with which to hire catterers, fireworks, a DJ, and enough booze to sink a battle ship along with a bar tender Porthos had been amazed and deeply touched by the gesture. 

He'd never had a party thrown in his honor before and for Athos to do so had his eyes brimming with tears that he got a good ribbing about from d'Artagnan, though the lad had suspiciously wet eyes when it was his turn.

Instead of fireworks this time Athos had hired out a stables for the day, with d'Artagnan still in a wheel chair at this point he had to be placed in a specially designed saddle for parapelegics and could only walk the horse very slowly round the carral to avoid any further injury to his healing back. However despite the restrictions the look on the lads face was one of pure ecstacy as he rode on the docile mare.  
To Porthos's amusment Athos had orders catterers to make a Westen theme for the day, so traditional dishes that would have been eaten in the wild west were served along with a good ammount of Bourbon whiskey. 

After they had left the stables they'd gone back to Athos's estate where a bonnfire had been errected and they spent the night around the fire toasting marshmallows and drinking whiskey until the early hours of the morning. 

When Milady de Winter was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences despite a plea bargin in which she gave evidence that ensured Rochefort's gang were located and arrested, the party that they had was not overly large, in fact it was just the five of them enjoying pizza, beer, and movies at Aramis and Porthos's none of them feeling the need to go out and get wasted or throw a huge celebration, justice had finally been done and they were happy about it, but it was not cause for cake and fireworks just the gentle comraderie of brotherhood and lovers.

The birthday celebrations over the next year were subdued compaired to the grandest party and that one came when d'Artagnan took his first steps that were not aided by the bars which ahd been set up in Athos's chateau. 

 

d'Artagnan had never gone back to Prison, considering the fact he had been wrongfully convicted it had been an easy matter for his Doctor to convince a judge that he was simply not well enough to go back to prison, not when he needed intense physio therapy to walk again, and especially for the first few weeks when he'd been bed bound waiting for his gun shot to heel and had to rely on bed pans and bed baths.   
While technically such things could have been provided in the prison medical wing d'Artagnan got far better treatment in the hospital and once Athos had arranged it, at the Chateau where he had hired a round the clock nurse and Physio to help d'Artagnan literally get back on his feet. 

 

Under heavy sedation following his surgary d'Artagnan hadn't awoken properly for nearly five days and had still be pretty groggy for another weeks before he'd become completely lucid. Once he had he'd been terrified to learn he couldn't move his legs as one might expect and it had taken several conversations with the Doctors and a great deal of reassurance from Athos before d'Artagnan let himself be convinced that he would walk again. 

It was still a very long road to recovery though, not just for his back but for his abdomen too, as it was he was on low dosage anti-biotics and asprin for life to make up for the fact he no longer had a spleen and had been in a perminant state of anemia since the shooting and he'd suffered frequent stomach upsets and colds since the spleenectomy since his immune system had been comprimised. 

How d'Artagnan got through it without breaking Porthos didn't know, after he'd killed Rochefort he'd needed intense therepy which he'd had with Dr Larroque who had continued to see him outside of The Bastille free of charge.   
Aramis had been a constant support to him, never judging him for nightmares or moodswings, just patiently waiting by his side and holding his hand until he felt ready to speak. 

 

He'd moved in with Aramis as soon as he was released from the Bastille. Aramis had quit his job there and had taken up a job at Treville's, his hacking skills had been so brilliant that Treville had decided to hire him straight away, along with Athos who instead of paying Treville for all the work he had done bought into Treville's detective agency as a full partner which lead to him being able to purchase a much larger office space, (With a coffee maker), and get himself a newer better car. 

Porthos was swiftly offered and accepted a job at the agency himself, his lock picking and pick pocketing skills being too good for them to pass up.   
Becoming a detective was not something Porthos had ever thought he would ever do in his life, however as he accepted the job and began to work he found he loved it especially when d'Artagnan too joined them. 

While still in the wheelchair he was more bound the office that doing street work to begin with, but under Aramis's tuition he swiftly became a dab hand with the computer and surveylance equipment enjoying being their eyes and ears from behing the scenes until he was able to join them himself. 

Once he was, and he was walking without crutches Athos threw the most extravegant party ever!.

 

Apparently being the descendant of a Comte could pull strings since Athos was able to hire out Versaille for whole day and one of the Hotels in the Rue Royal for a week!. 

He had not forgotten his promise to d'Artagnan about a week in a hotel with no clothes so once the boy had finished Physio and was off his pain relief Athos made good on the promise. 

First they spent the day with Porthos, Aramis, and Treville exploring the beauty of Versaille, from the breath taking grounds, to the gold guilded bathroom of Louis XV, and the enchanting hall of mirrors, they spent plenty of time there walking up and down with their noses in the air taking snobbily like a rennaisance King!.

 

They'd played hide and seek in the mazes and splashed water at each other from the fountains, had performed truly terrible waltz's in the ballroom, and had enjoyed a pic-nic in the ornamental gardens before finally retiring back to the hotel for the night. 

This was where Aramis, Porthos, and Treville left the pair, heading back into Paris with several crude gestures and innudenos!.

 

Athos hired out the very best room in the hotel, with a four poster bed to die for!. 

Sticking a doo not disturb sign on the door the two wasted little time in stripping off their clothes and jumping onto the bed, well d'Artagnan jumped while Athos followed chuckling and shaking his head. 

In true romantic style Athos had ordered them strawberrys, melted chocolate, whipped cream, and champagne all of which was waiting for them in their suite. 

"This is beyond amazing 'thos!" d'Artagnan said sucking the chocolate off a strawberry and then popping the fruit in his mouth and chewing "I can't believe after everything you've already done for me...........", he was silence as Athos slipped his arms about his narrow torso and pressed a champagne flavored kiss to his lips 

"No more than you needed and far less than you deserve" Athos rumbled his voice deepened by lust and passion, gently he lowered d'Artagnan down onto the bed and spread his thighs giving the boy a look that was pure lust he licked his tongue down d'Artagnan's scarred abdomen to his groin and grazed his lips and teeth down the rising length of d'Artagnan's cock making the boy whimper and shiver with desire. Smirking Athos reached for the bowl of chocolate and poured some over d'Artagnan's cock and balls making him squirm and whine in need, his hips bucking and eyelids fluttering at the sensation.

Then Athos bent down again and began to lick away the chocolate inch by delicious inch, taking his time to sucking and nip at the sensative skin until d'Artagnan wordlessly moaning and thrashing on the bed his cock leaking precum and balls rock solid with his need!.

"Like that sweeheart?" Athos asked pressing a kiss to d'Artagnan's inner thigh 

"Athos!" d'Artagnan almost sobbed his pupils blow wide and whole body thrumming with desire. Grinning Athos lifted the boy's hips taking care not to strain his back that still had a tendancy to lock up or become stiff, he took out a tube of KY jelly and squirted a generous amount on himself swiftly but then spent several agonisingly delightful minutes in preparing an all but hysterical d'Artagnan who was gibbering in a mix of French and Italian while begging Athos to Fuck him over and over!.

While d'Artagnan wasn't a virgin it had been a long time since he'd been entered by anyone and he'd forgotten how much it burned at first so he couldn't help but to whimper and stiffen as Athos first pushed inside him, panting and biting his bottom lip d'Artagnan made himself relax remebering how to become pliant so the penertration wouldn't hurt so much and gradually Athos was seated inside him, his body a pleasent weight and warmth over d'Artagnan's cock that had sunken slightly due to the pain, though that didn't last long for once Athos began to move the pressure against his prostate had his cock straining so much that d'Artagnan felt it might burst it's own skin!. 

Athos was slow and gentle at first giving d'Artagnan time to become accostomed to him and taking the greatest care not to hurt him, but as d'Artagnan began to moan and buck his hips in time with Athos's thrust the older man grew more bold and began to use more force. Leaning forward he caught d'Artagnan's lips in a messy kiss as they rocked back and forth on the creaking bed, d'Artagnan's hands were in his hair and running down his back seeming to want to touch, hold, and stroke ever inch of him as he thrust into his body, his abdomen giving a delicious friction to d'Artagnan's leaking cock and straining balls that were trapped between them as they writhed on the bed.

Slipping down from d'Artagnan's mouth Athos latched onto his throat and bite down enough to make d'Artagnan yelp and moan, then he suckled and licked at the bruise marking his lover as his own and twisted his hips just so, making sure that his cock hit d'Artagnan's nerve cluster dead centre making the boy all but scream in pleasure!, another two blows to his prostrate and d'Artagnan coming hard between them his whole body seemed to vibrate as his inner muscles clamped over Athos's cock making the older man thrust harder and faster untill he was spilling himself inside d'Artagnan and collasping over the younger man panting in sated exhaustion.

 

Rue Des Fossiers 

 

Aramis padded back through to the bedroom from the kitchen carrying a bottle of wine and retook his favorite position on Porthos's lap which he claimed was the most comfortable place in the world. 

"Bet they're at it like rabbits!" Porthos chuckled dirtily as he drank from the bottle and handed it to Aramis "Probably break the bed!"

"I hope Athos can keep "Up" then!" Aramis quipped with a saucy grin "Youth is a very "Hard" task master!", Porthos laughed filthily at this and slapped at Aramis's buttocks (His best feature), at least according to Porthos! 

"You're wicked you are!" he said his eyes narrowing as Aramis began to run the tip of his tongue about the neck of the bottle suggestively, "Mis!" he growled warningly 

"Hmm?" the ex Vicar hummed in mock nochalance as he continued to tongue the bottle and run his fingers up and down it wickedly 

"You filthy slut!" Porthos growled making Aramis yelp as he flipped them over spilling some of the wine in the process but not caring as the got himself between Aramis's thighs and back inside his already wet loosened and lubed hole "You'll be sore as fuck in the morning!" Porthos said thrusting deeply inside him 

"Promises promises!" Aramis purred sinking his nails into Porthos's biceps "I don't want to be able to sit down for a week!". 

 

The next day Treville was very determined to notice that Aramis was sitting rather precariously on a blow up donut cussion, just as he wasn't seeing the love bites on Porthos's neck and the obserdly well fucked expressions they had on their faces!.

 

Hotel

 

Athos lay back up to his neck in a hot bath filled with bubbles and d'Artagnan who was blowing the bubbles off his hands like a child and laughing like a loon!, after spending the whole night making love to each other they were both wonderfully sore and tired. 

They'd ordered room service for breakfast in which Athos had sworn the pancakes were no where near as good as those d'Artagnan made and had taken the remainder of their hot chocolate to the bathroom to drink in a very long hot bath. 

"I don't think I could possibly be happier than I am right now" d'Artagnan said snuggling up to Athos's chest after he finished playing with the bubbles 

"You don't?" Athos asked with a lazy smile on his face and ran his wet fingers through d'Artagnan's hair "Not even if we were in........oh I don't know Rome perhaps?"

"Rome?, why would we be in Rome?"

"It's a very beautiful city"

"Yeah......."

"It's a wonderful place for a honeymoon".

 

For a moment d'Artagnan said nothing then he sat up and looked at Athos with wide eyes "Are you?...........are you asking me.............to............marry you?" he stammered his heart pounding and whole body ridgid with barely controlled excitement 

"I am" Athos whispered trying to hide the fear that it was too fast, that d'Artagnan would say no, that he'd messed things up, he needn't have worried however since d'Artagnan gave a squeal and threw himself into Athos's arms kissing his face all over and sending a tidal wave of water over the side of the bath!, "Is that a yes!?" Athos laughed looking into d'Artagnan's shining eyes

"Yes yes yes yes YES!" came a deafening response and yet more water ended up on the floor as the result!.

 

By the time their week at the hotel had ended Athos had bought d'Artagnan a ring which was immediately spied by Porthos when they went back to work and yet more champagne was opened to celebrate their engagement. 

While Athos would have happily had a lavish affair if d'Artagnan had wanted it, they both agreed on a small private ceramony with only close friends attending including Constance who'd insisted on keeping in touch with them all and was now officially Governing Governer at The Bastille and had turned the place around completely from the hell hole it had been into a modern correctional facillity that focused more on rehabilitation than punishment so that more people could turn their lives around and not spend them in and out of prison. 

Ninon too was there along with Lemay who both wished the happy couple well and laughed when Aramis caught the Bouquet that he had insisted d'Artagnan carry. By the wink that Porthos gave Athos before he and d'Artagnan got into the limo to to the airport for their honeymoon in Rome it was likely that there would another wedding very soon

"Don't come back pregnant now will you!?" Aramis yelled to d'Artagnan who stuck his fingers up at him! 

"Bring back plenty of pictures and don't spend all your time in the hotel room!" Constance laughed throwing confetti 

"Have a good time" Treville said shaking Athos's hand and was surprised when Athos pulled him into a hug 

"Thank you, without you all of this would never have happened" he said into Treville's ear making the older man blush a little and smile 

"Thank you too" Treville said getting a frown "You four have given me a family after man years alone, something I never thought would happen, I thought I'd die alone surrounded by old take away boxes and instant coffee!"

"I guess we saved each other then!" Athos chuckled thinking he'd had likely drunk himself to death and died surrounded by empty bottles, this however wasn't the time for in depth conversation and with another hug to two men parted, Athos going on honeymoon with d'Artagnan and Treville heading back into the hotel to continue enjoying the buffet and champagne while laughing at Aramis's outragous flirting and Porthos's filthy jokes.

 

"So what were you and Treville talking about?" d'Artagnan asked picking confetti out of his hair 

"Oh just how happy we are with how our lives turned out" Athos said pulled d'Artagnan against him and kissing his cheek "I stoped believing in happy endings after Anne, but then I met you and now I really think that we are getting the happy ending"

"Not an ending" d'Artagnan said "A beginning"

"A beginning" Athos repeated with a satisifed nod "And I'm glad I'm getting that beginning with you".


End file.
